The Final Reminder
by AngelWithASeraphBlade
Summary: When you break up with someone, a tiny part of you stays with them forever. Just not normally literally. And normally you never see it again. But with Magnus and Alec, nothing has ever been normal. So why should this be any different? Disclaimer: I own only the plot.
1. Prologue

**_Right, so I just randomly go this idea and I thought I would try it out! It's a bit odd, and I'm not yet sure how exactly it is going to work,_** _**but**_**_ give it a go and tell me what you think?! Is is good or should I scrap it? Thanks for checking this out!_**

_**Lu** _

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><p>Magnus drew back and turned away from Alec, running his hands through his hair and crushing the glittery peaks. Right now his normally terribly important appearance meant nothing, and the blue eyed boy he had just turned away from meant everything. He knew that he would never see those eyes again - or thought it at least. He didn't yet know the secrets behind a certain someone's eyelids. He felt awful for doing this, but the whole relationship was wrong, had turned beautifully bitter, he was sure that Alec would be much happier with someone else. Well, he was trying to make himself believe that anyway, in a vague attempt to make this whole thing easier. Magnus had been a shit boyfriend, and both of them had made so many mistakes it was unrealistic for the relationship to continue. It would just end worse than this - if you could get worse than this Magnus would certainly have like to hear it. Magnus kept his back stubbornly towards his soon to be ex boyfriend and bit his shimmering lip.<p>

"I'm sorry Alec, but it's over. We can't carry on like this, you and I both know that. I am going to go out, and when I get back I want you gone. Take one of them, I don't mind which. I know they both need each other and two parents, but it is the only way I can see this working."

Magnus stormed out of the apartment he had shared with Alexander Lightwood. He couldn't bear to see the tears fall down Alec's face that mirrored those streaking his own cheeks. Couldn't bear to turn and see Alec shuffle over to the bedroom, gathering up his few possessions into a battered leather suitcase - Magnus had always had way more things than his withdrawn boyfriend - and smash his phone on the floor, cutting nearly all of the fragile ties he had. He had cut all but two. Magnus had left so he didn't have to be there when Alec cried hopelessly over the two boys lying in a crib.

Two days old. Only two days old. They had been born of a surrogate mother after the pair decided they wanted children on Alec's eighteenth some eleven months earlier. What a stupid, stupid idea. Alec and Magnus's broken hearts would heal over time, but the tiny children that lay helplessly before Alec would never know their other father or brother, possibly never knowing that they existed. It filled Magnus's heart with an awful pain that he was afraid could never be fixed. The boys hadn't even opened their eyes yet. One child would never see Magnus's face. One child would never see Alec's.

Alec kissed the child that held his pale skin and the inky hair both parents shared on his forehead, before scooping up the boy that looked so much like Magnus, with golden skin and sleepy almond shaped eyes. Magnus would never know that the eyes were the unusual green-golden shade that he possessed himself. Alec would never know that his beautiful blue eyes had been inherited after all. Maybe that made it slightly easier. That both of them would remain oblivious to the true legacy that they had left behind. It was the eyes of each boy that had drawn them together like a magnet. And it was those eyes that had made them fall hopelessly in love with each other. Well, that love had turned out to be a poison, slowly eating away at them until only a broken mess remained. The mess that they now were clearing up by making it disappear almost entirely, only leaving tiny shards of glass designed to dig into their hearts.

Magnus was not there so see Alec leave the apartment, cutting yet another tie so that only one remained, suitcase in his hand and sleeping child in the crook of his arm. Magnus would never know where the plane that took Alec far away from New York that evening, leaving behind his family, friends and everything he held most dear behind, had landed. No one would. Alec had felt the only way he could attempt to cope was if he was leaving everything and not just his ex.

Magnus only had one final reminder of their relationship to prove he had even met Alec, all the pictures having been ripped up and his possessions taken. The little child clinging desperately to his shirt, eyes finally peeling open revealing a blue Magnus had thought he would never see again. That was the thing that broke him. Clutching his son desperately to his chest, he sunk to his knees and dissolved into heartbroken tears that dripped down his face, washing away any happiness that had remained when Alec had left his life. If only this hadn't ended this way. If only they had tried to fix it. But maybe it was so broken that the love required to fix it would have destroyed them both. Well, Magnus was destroyed anyway. Maybe the whole thing had been doomed from the beginning. Magnus finally fell into a dream littered sleep like that, leaning against a wall with his nameless son curled up in his arms.

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><p><strong><em>What do you think? I know it is short, but this is only the prologue and I promise future chapters will be longer. Please review and tell me your opinion on what I have written so far. Also, names! Any suggestions for either or both? Review and let me know!<em>**

**_Thank you for reading!_**

**_Lu xxx_**


	2. Faces From The Past

_**Hi. I hope you like this chapter. Thank you to the three of you who reviewed, it always nice to hear from you lot so I know if it's okay.**_

_**Enjoy**_

_**Lu xxx**_

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><p><em>A harsh wind ripped across the street, blowing icy air around Alec. Piles of snow had been shoved hastily off of the road, leaving small mountains littering the sidewalk. The air was entirely white, the sky like a blank canvas above him and the buildings around him as if they had been wrapped in paper. Only a single colour remained in the landscape, the red brick warehouse that loomed in front of him. He would recognise it anywhere. In that building was the apartment he used to share with Magnus Bane.<em>

_His mind was screaming at him to stop, to halt his feet and go no further, but his legs refused to obey and within seconds he had dashed in through the glass door and was making his way up the staircase. It glittered in the sharp contrasting darkness to the white outside, and was yet another reminder of Magnus that stabbed him in the heart. He reached the loft apartment, and was reached out to the door handle..._

Alec's eyes snapped open and took in the only reminder of Magnus that didn't pain him. The boy stared down at his father, giggling and prodding his nose until Alec sat up and pulled him into a hug, ruffling his inky hair affectionately.

"Morning Daddy!" Alec kissed the top of his son's head and drew back, his gaze on the boy that of pure love. He stared into the golden green eyes and smiled.

"Hey Max!" Alec hadn't been able to help naming his boy after his younger brother, who had died at the age of nine after an awful car accident. His son had all of the qualities of his younger brother - he was kind and very loyal, always bubbly and keen about everything. Max was probably the reason Alec had been able to survive the awful break up eight years ago. Well, nearly eight years ago. Eight years ago in two days. Today was Max's eight birthday.

"Happy birthday!" The little boy jumped off of the bed and tried to drag his dad out from under the sheets, excitement now plastered all over his face.

"Presents! Come on Daddy, hurry up!" Alec laughed to himself and scooted out from under the thin comforter. He was only wearing pyjama pants, but he wasn't cold - it was summer in California and it was baking. Despite this, Alec's skin remained as pale as white porcelain - it sucked. His son, however, had beautiful tanned golden skin peeking from underneath his Spiderman pyjamas. Some things in life were so unfair.

"Okay sweetie, but you know what we have to do first." He put his arm around the child's shoulders, leading him to the chest of drawers in his room. On it stood a picture, the only picture Alec had taken on that awful day. It showed Magnus, face hidden in the shadows, only his smile visible, in his arms a tiny baby with Alec's fair skin, eyes squeezed shut. Alec had made sure that Max had known everything about Magnus and the kid's brother right from day 1 - Alec's sexuality, the surrogate mother, the break up. He had kept the names out of it though, because he had no idea what his other boy was called, and Magnus... Well his name was too painful to even think, even after all these years. Every year, Max would wish his brother a happy birthday too. It was Max's way of connecting with his twin back in New York.

Alec reached up and pulled down the frame so that Max could see it properly, placing it in his hands. The kid dragged a finger across his brother's face and his other father's smile, a grin of his own playing about his small lips. The other half of his family always fascinated the boy.

"Happy Birthday, big brother. Hello, Daddy." Max looked a bit sad, probably because he had never met his brother, so Alec took that as a hint to pluck the picture back out of his hands and replace it on the furniture.

"Shall we go open your presents and then go out for breakfast? Your pick." Max nodded enthusiastically, any hint of sadness gone immediately. He grabbed his dad's hand and pulled him into the kitchen, where Alec had lain out the heap of gifts on the table the night before, a tradition Alec had maintained from when he himself had been little. Max looked back up at Alec for confirmation. Alec nodded and smiled, pushing the boy forward ever so slightly into the mountain of toys and other gifts.

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><p>A short while later, a heap of wrapping paper and toys lay scattered around Max. He looked thoroughly impressed, especially with some of the Lego sets, but Alec wasn't done yet. He reached down into the pocket in his pyjamas and drew out a small envelope. He handed it to Max who looked a bit confused at it.<p>

"It's a special present from me." Max seemed reassured by this, and quickly ripped it open. Out fell two plane tickets. Max gasped.

He had been desperate to go to New York, his dad's birth city, for a while now. Alec had been hesitant - the place held so many bad memories - but he had eventually given in and organised the trip.

"We leave tomorrow." Max screamed in delight and grabbed Alec in a teddy bear hug. Alec lifted him up and spun him around as the boy giggled happily. He set him down and looked into those pretty eyes.

"Now why don't you get dressed, and we'll go have pancake somewhere."

"Dorothea's!" Alec laughed.

"Dorothea's it is!"

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><p>Alec smiled and sipped at his coffee - black with sugar, the way he liked it - as he watched Max dig into the mound of coconut pancakes that the waitress had just brought over. They were Max's favourite, and Dorothea's was the only place near to the luxury apartment that did them. Just looking at them sprung up memories of Taki's and dates there with Magnus, but Alec suppressed them. Now was not the time. Now was the time for Max, and Max alone.<p>

Max finished up his pancakes, wiping his mouth with his sleeve in a childlike gesture. He looked up at Alec happily, and almost expectantly.

"Thanks Dad!" Alec grabbed his son's hands and rubbed the backs of them idly.

"No problem. Anything for you on your special day. Now tell me, what would you like to do next?" Max looked deep in thought for a few seconds, and then grinned up at Alec.

"Ice cream on the beach!" Alec grabbed his hand and pulled him up - he has already paid.

"Okay, let's go!" Alec was grinning maniacally as th two of them walked out of the small cafe hand in hand. Max made everything right in the world - he was Alec's everything, and Alec was his everything too. In that blissful moment, Alec almost forgot Magnus back in New York, and his other son who remained nameless to him. He almost forgot the dread he was feeling at the thought of having to fly out to New York in a matter of hours, at facing a place that had been too painful for him to remain in. He almost forgot. But not quite.

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><p>Magnus stirred the frothy hot chocolate one final time before covering it in marshmallows and cream. His son had been brought up to appreciate the art of a good hot chocolate, and Magnus had taught him well. He picked up the mug, careful not to spill a drop - well the carpet was new, and sparkly at that - and made his way into his son's bedroom.<p>

He walked in to find the boy fast asleep - he had also been taught excellently by Magnus to sleep in - despite the excitement that the day would inevitably bring. Magnus sighed happily and deposited the drink onto the bedside table before slumping in the cushy armchair next to the bed. He reached out, pushing the boy's hair back from his face, and whispered quietly into his ear.

"Wake up, sweetie. It's your birthday." The child's brilliant blue eyes flickered open sleeping, looking up at Magnus. He smiled down at the boy.

"Happy Birthday Will." The boy slowly sat up, blinking slightly as he struggled to wake up fully. Magnus swiped the hot chocolate off of the side and thrust it into the boy's hands. He took it gratefully and took a long sip, resulting in some of the cream coming off on his nose. Magnus flicked it away lazily, eating it himself.

"Is the beverage suitable young man?" Will giggled.

"Yes Dad, it's great, thank you!" He took up lapping up the cream and any marshmallows that hadn't melted into the drink yet. He looked adorable. Magnus sighed, thinking about his twin brother. He had not a single picture of Alec or the other boy, he hadn't even been able to say goodbye to his other son. He had never told Will either - he was too concerned that the truth would be too painful to be brought to light, whether for himself or the child he wasn't entirely sure. Anyways, Will didn't know the truth, and he didn't need to. Not yet, anyway. The only thing he did know about was Magnus's sexuality, because him knowing that when he was young avoided awkward questions when he was older.

When Will had finished the drink Magnus left to clear it up and so the boy could get dressed. Then the boy would decide whether he wanted presents or breakfast or anything really - when he was five Magnus had let him bathe in spaghetti when he had asked. It was all very laid back and calm, and Magnus had the money to do most things - he was the chief editor of a major fashion magazine - so it was normally a bit crazy later on. It was great fun, a day for just the two of them. Just the two of them. The way it had always been and the way both of them liked it.

Magnus smiled to himself as he washed up the mug almost subconsciously. The past memories of this day, the happiness and excitement the two of them had shared. Magnus didn't find himself thinking of the awful first year, he had learnt to lock that away. He had learnt to live for the happy memories. They were all he wanted to have, and so was Will. Will was more than he could ever have dreamt of. He was so lucky to have him. Speak of the devil, at that moment he appeared from his bedroom in skinny jeans and a black riveted top - he had definitely inherited the fashion taste of Magnus. The man chuckled to himself.

"So whatcha wanna do today then?" Will went around and slumped on one of the bright pink couches. Magnus came and joined him, coffee in hand. He ruffled the boy's hair affectionately. He looked thoughtful.

"Would you mind if we did presents this evening and just sat here with movies and popcorn all day?"

"Absolutely not, anything for my boy. Now, what do you want to watch first?" They sat like that all day, laughing, (almost) crying and wincing on the sofa as the movies took them to multiple different worlds that they loved to live in together.

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><p><strong><em>I know, I know, it's short, but I wanted to give you something at least as I may not be able to update for another few weeks. :( so, what do you think of the names? And the story? Do you think it's a good start?<em>**

**_Thank you for reading!_**

**_Lu xxx _**


	3. The Life I Have Built

_**Here is the third chapter. I am dedicating this chapter to my dear friend Tibby, as she is awesome and lovely (and listens to me rambling!). This is also my only fanfic that I have deemed 'okay' for her - i.e. the one with the least depressing themes. Anyway, she has a fanfiction account - whatsintheboxx. She isn't quite up and running but I will let you know when she is so you can check her out! She is really good.**_

_**Enjoy!**_

_**Lu xxx**_

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><p>It had been a long time since Alec had been on a plane, and it took him a few minutes to get used to the sensation once he was up in the air. The flight to New York would take just over 5 hours, and he planned to spend most of it sleeping to gain the energy to face the place that flooded his nightmares. He knew that the city was massive, and that the chance of seeing anyone from his past was very, very slim, but he just couldn't shake the feeling that there were going to be encounters, especially since Max was keen to see all of his favorite places.<p>

Alec had just closed his eyes when an excited squealing erupted from his right. He groaned and turned to see Max desperately happy about the view from the window - of course the kid had been given the window seat. He was sure the man sat to his left must be annoyed at being sat with them, but he didn't care. He let his lips fall into a smile, one side flicking up before the other. It made him smile to see his son so happy. He had had such a simple, happy childhood in most ways, one that Alec would have dreamed of back when he was a child only a few years ago. Of course, there had been the complication of not having a family, but in some ways Alec thought that was good. That way there were less people to hurt him the way. He wouldn't have had to go what Alec had had to go through.

No, no, he couldn't think like that. He needed the happy memories to share with Max - happy memories that included Magnus as well as those that didn't. He wanted to share a little bit of his other father with the boy, because he was an important part of Max even if he had never met the man, never known him. He closed his eyes again as Max calmed down a little bit and let his mind take him back to when he had been happiest, when the world had gone from the hardship of family life to the happiness of loving Magnus, and being loved by Magnus. When everything had been in a state of stability and simplicity that would not, could not last.

_Sunlight flew in through the trees in Central Park. This was a place only he and Magnus knew. It was a small cluster of trees, full of beautiful and rare flowers. Beams of light littered the floor, throwing a dreamy patchwork of shadows on the place like a cobweb, just as mystical and just as intricate. He was leaning against Magnus, head resting in the crook of his neck. Magnus was gently stroking his hair in a lazy, caring fashion. They had been sitting there for hours together, just happy in the togetherness of each other. They had only been dating for a couple of weeks but already it was as if they were soul-mates. Without warning, Magnus took Alec's face and turned it towards his. Alec would remember forever the way the light danced in his eyes, the reflection of the sun and something else. He would remember the look on Magnus's face, the apprehension overruled by something deeper. The way he had said he loved Alec for the first time. The taste of his lips, sweet and soft and gentle on his own. Their first kiss. It was a memory that Alec would smile at forever._

_Taki's was nearly full but somehow the pair of them had managed to find an unoccupied table that seemed to be shut off from the world. Magnus held Alec's hands in his, rubbing gently at the scarred knuckles that he had gained from the years of boxing that his parents had forced him into. And the karate. And judo. They had been very clear that they wanted Alec to be a fighter, and Alec had been very clear that he didn't. Magnus was wearing all black today, a somber ensemble, although the jeans were ripped and his t-shirt was covered in rivets. It was a fresh spring day, and the air had a certain brightness to it - well, as bright as it could be in New York with the ever present fumes from thousands of cars. The other boy was smiling at him, laughing at his jokes, letting him in where he let no one else. This was how Alec loved the boy. Open, totally revealed and... and just pure Magnus. Nothing else. No false appearances. No shell. Just Magnus. The Magnus that Alec loved with all his heart._

_The warm sun of early fall beat down on Alec's neck as he walked back to his house. He had had a lovely time with Magnus, laughing and throwing popcorn at each other at the cinema, getting kicked out of the cinema, running away from the security guard. Just the usual madness with Magnus. The madness he had grown to love as he had grown to love Magnus and learnt to live. As he wandered down the sidewalk, a soft orange light glowing through the vibrant yellows and reds of the trees, a massive Gothic building loomed up to the side of him. The Institute. His favorite library in the city. It wasn't very popular with most people, but it was the only place that he had ever been able to call home. He had met Magnus there - he had been researching something for school and had come across Alec reading A Tale Of Two Cities in the corner. He smiled at the memory, and walked with a renewed happiness back to the place that he had to sleep in._

Alec stayed like that for rest of the journey. Somehow, for once, the dreams remained the sweet memories that he treasured rather than the brutal ones that he feared to touch the edges of his subconscious upon. After a while, Max succumbed to the tiredness that follows extreme exhaustion and fell asleep with his head resting of his father. Alec, half awake, moved his arm to encompass the boy, and held his son in the way he had done eight years before when he had flown in the opposite direction. Then they were flying to escape. But now - now, even though they did not know it, they were flying towards a better future.

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><p>It was half three when Magnus awoke. Bleary eyed, he stared at the time, and realising how late it was swore and hastily jumped out of bed a little too quickly, causing his head to spin. He caught himself and managed to regain his balance. He needed to get up. Step one - get dressed. He walked over to his closet and picked out suitable attire - ripped dark blue jeans, and a plain black top (he wasn't planning on doing much) and then moved over to the mirror to quickly swipe on his eyeliner. Yes, he wasn't doing much. But he was Magnus Bane. He simply couldn't be seen without at least something rimming his eyes.<p>

Five minutes late he emerged with hair in explosive spikes into the living room. Will was happily playing Mariokart, bless him, and looked up expectantly when his dad entered the room. He beamed in a charming fashion and pointed to the counter, where the cat was edging ever closer to a massive pile of toast.

"I made you lunch!" Magnus ruffled his hair on the way past and swiped up the plate just as the Chairman pounced for it. There was a loud crash and a lot of hissing. The vague thought that the Chairman may have broken something flashed across Magnus's mind, but it was soon gone. He didn't really care. He was a more go with the flow kind of person.

He settled down on the couch next to his son and nibbled on a corner of the toast. It was very good so he took a massive bite.

"Thanks Will, I needed that." The boy grinned again.

"Can I have a bit?" He giggled. Ten minutes of quiet followed whilst the pair of them devoured the toast. When it was all gone, Magnus set the plate down on the old coffee table, put his feet up next to it and stared at Will, who surprisingly hadn't taken up the controller again. Magnus stared at it and then raised a single eyebrow at the boy. Weird.

"Dad, can we go to the library? I want to check out a couple of books." Ah. Made sense.

"Sure. I tell you what, I have a couple of errands to run so if I drop you off will you be okay for a couple of hours and then I'll come pick you up at say six?" Will nodded enthusiastically. Magnus grabbed his keys off of the table.

"Go get you coat on then!" He himself shrugged on his favorite jacket, a beautiful soft leather in the darkest black imaginable with slight spikes up the sleeves. It had been a gift from Alec long ago, and although it hurt him to think about the boy the garment only reminded him of the happy times, the laughter. Basically, the stuff he wanted to remember.

"Ready!" Magnus smiled and took his boy's hand.

"Off we go then."

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><p>The train ride to the pair's favorite library was short, and the trip was uneventful - they only went past a couple of stops before they reached the right one. It was relatively uncomfortable, as the train was packed to bursting and it was a deliciously hot summer day, making the air stale and barely breathable, and Magnus had to hold Will close to him so as to prevent him from being jostled away by the people. Luckily the journey was barely ten minutes, and soon the carriage was drawing into the station just a short stroll away from the library.<p>

Magnus pulled his son out of the doors and onto the platform before they could shut and led him out into the bright summer sunshine. The station, like quite a few in New York, was grimy and tiled, a dismal place. Alec and Magnus had had their final argument on a station like this, the one they had just journeyed from, the boy Magnus had never known nestled in his arm. They had just been on their way to bring them home. Well, they had got home. And then the boy Magnus had been holding had disappeared, and he didn't even know his name. But he needed to think positive. He still had Will, and the boy had made the stars shine more brightly in the sky again through his grief. He was his salvation and his happiness. He really loved him.

They strolled together along the path, holding a mindless conversation about everyday subjects - Will's favorite comics, which he was keen to chat about, and school, which the boy was not - he preferred to do what he liked when he liked it, and the teachers often disapproved. Magnus was trying to get him to change his ways - despite appearance, Magnus had worked damn hard in school and it had got him his dream career. He wanted his son to be able to live like that, and he was sure he had the potential to do so. He just needed to unlock it.

Both of them took a moment to look up at the trees. They held the slight orange tint to the green that hinted fall was coming, and he couldn't wait for that season. Neither of them could. Magnus had many happy memories, old memories of this lane in the fall, of this city and waltzing around with those that he loved. He still had people that he cared for, but he had never loved anyone since Alec. Sure there had been one night stands and summer flings, but nothing serious. Not until Camille. But that flew out of his head, because they had reached the door.

It was a rather impressive door. It was massive, probably oak or something similar, with massive iron bolts and embellishments. Mind you, the whole place was impressive. There massive turrets with intricate detailing in the stone, a huge statue of an avenging angel boldly stuck on the center of the main hall. There was a glass dome right at the top, the place that was hard to get to but was the favorite place to read in for both of them. It was quiet up there, and beautiful, surrounded by plants and sunlight. Magnus turned to his son.

"See you at six then. Are you sure you'll be okay on your own?" Will nodded and began to hurry up the steps to the enterance. He turned around to face his dad.

"Yep. Hodge knows me!"

"I know. I just wanted to be sure. See ya." Magnus for good measure watched and waited until the thick double doors had closed behind Will before he set off. The double doors to the Institute.

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><p><em><strong>What do you think? Is it good? Please review. Also, check out You don't understand by Ameliaherondale. I have been beta-ing it just recently, it's seriously good. So go read it and review for her, and I will send you virtual cookies for making her happy!<strong>_

_**Thanks for reading!**_

_**Lu xxx**_


	4. Meetings In The Institute

_**Hello dears. Another update! And a story progression as well, because I have decided that it is about time that it moves out of the past and into the future. This chapter is dedicated to my darling friend Emma, who sat with me and screamed at the computer as people suggested Jenna-Louise Coleman as Charlotte Branwell – ABSOLUTELY NOT – and then proceeded to cry with the loss of the will to live when we discovered 20 people actually wanted Harry Styles as Will Herondale. Need I say more? A true friend and a true fan. Also, what do you think on those choices? **_

_**Anyway, back to the story. We are going to have some Max and Will point of view in this as there will be important scenes for both of them. Maybe some Alec and Magnus, not sure yet. Thank you for reading and enjoy!**_

_**To Nic – here is your update!**_

_**To Tibs – this is the next bit, written soon for you darling. **_

_**Lu xxx**_

…

Will bounded inside the Institute, slamming the door carelessly behind him and proceeding to run up the steps into the main hall. It was one of his favourite places in the world, because it had so many books. Will loved books. Comics, novels, old books, new books, he loved them all. They took him to far away places and near places and everywhere in between, and they sort of filled the gap in his chest where he felt he was missing something. It felt like he was missing something very important and very nice, but he wasn't entirely sure what. He just knew that books helped, and that books were interesting and fun to read besides.

He decided not to stay in the main sections of the library today but to go up one of the towers to his favourite spot in the library, where it was very quiet and isolated and pretty. He spotted the large door partially concealed by the many bookcases lining the walls and pushed it forwards slowly. The door was old and heavy; a massive slab of wood like the front door only smaller, and the hinges creaked and groaned with age, rust and disuse as he pressed against it. Nevertheless, it swung open without much effort and soon Will was spiralling up the hundreds of steps – about three hundred he reckoned – to the greenhouse.

Although this part of the library was barely used by anyone anymore, the stone steps were still slippery and shining with wear. There were smudges to the varnish on the wooden banister where the polish had been worn down by hundreds of hands trailing along it like Will was doing now. Still, it contained a sort of abandoned feel that would make anyone else shudder. To Will, the sense of it being something that was almost entirely his and his only was in a way comforting – it was open to all but something that Hodge reckoned was a secret between only three people; himself, Magnus and another person whom he wouldn't mention. Actually, during the only time that Hodge had mentioned the other… man he thought it was, his father had blanched and made wild gestures at Hodge. He had been younger then so he hadn't quite understood but he thought that he was probably trying to shut the librarian up. This had just made Will even more curious about the mysterious man, but Hodge wouldn't talk about him and neither would his dad so there was no way he was going to find out about him.

Finally after a couple of minutes of ascending, Will turned the final corner of the staircase. This was the section of the library reserved for Hodge's favourite books, the special ones. It was really a greenhouse, beautiful and exotic plants trailing everywhere, up the pillars and from random pots littered around. There was a staircase to nowhere in the centre of the room, brightly coloured flowers twined around the banisters and creating a rather ethereal look to the place that made Will smile in childish joy every time he saw it. The bookshelves were sparse, carefully placed in bushes and such so that they were slightly hidden. Although there were not very many books up here, they were all very old and very precious. Will had read all of them many times before, but he never tired of reading them, because they were special.

Today, he wandered over to his favourite bookshelf that contained several novels by Charles Dickens. Although Will didn't really understand all of them properly, he found the stories interesting and exciting, and he liked the idea of reading about normal life over a hundred years ago in some far away country, and he thought the books seemed important somehow. These were by far the most handled books up here – most of the spines were on the verge of falling off and the binding was worn away – and by far the most loved. He pulled one out at random and made his way to the top of the hanging staircase before settling down on the top step and looking at the cover.

A Tale of Two Cities. This was by far his favourite on the shelf, and he giggled to himself at his ability to select it without realising. Maybe he just gravitated towards it. Either way, he simply opened it at the first page and began to sink into the story in a way that no one else his age seemed to be able to and let it wash over him and whisk him away to the bygone era that he loved reading about so much. He stayed like that for a long while, losing track of time and smiling until he was pulled out of his happy reverie by the sound of gentle footsteps padding around the greenhouse he thought was his own.

…

Max's dad had decided to take him to the library where he had first met his other dad on the first day they were in New York. His dad had been up quite early, used to not having much sleep, but Max slept in quite late and so by the time he was up and had had breakfast it was turning into almost late afternoon, so his dad had told him there was only time to see on thing, so what did he want to go look at before they had to come back for dinner. Max had said he wanted to see the place where he had first met his other dad, and Alec had obliged, leading him out to the subway.

Now they were wandering through one of the many aisles in the place. Max had been astounded by the place. There were just so many books, he had never seen this many before. They were all different sizes and shapes and ages, and all he wanted to do was bury his nose in some of them and relax all afternoon and let himself get carried away, but there was a place and a person Alec had said he wanted Max to meet whilst they were there, and they sounded interesting so Max had immediately become curious and had gone along with it all.

Suddenly a desk appeared between the many books, and Max gasped. It was a very interesting desk, and Max cocked his head to the side in fascination. It was a massive slab, looking immensely heavy, being supported by two bent over angels with a look of pain crossed over their face. The detail was impeccable and it was certainly a very majestic if not very pretty work of art. Max let his eyes trail upwards. The man sitting at the desk looked very similar to the actual desk – pained, and majestic but not attractive. He looked very clever, and very eccentric. Max immediately took a liking to him.

The man looked up as they approached the desk and looked very startled indeed at the sight of them. Max wondered why, but then he saw that he was staring at Alec with his eyes very wide, and realized that the man must have known his father before he moved away from the city. Max wondered if the man had ever expected to see him again – by the looks of his expression no. Alec was gripping his hand rather tightly, and he wondered if his father was nervous to see the man after all of these years. Speak of the devil, he rose up and came around in front of the desk to greet his father with a handshake.

"Alexander Lightwood." He said, gripping Alec's hand between two of his, "I never thought I would see you here again. Why haven't you been to visit? Ma…" Alec quickly cut him of with some drastic hand movements. He nodded and corrected himself. "He said that you just disappeared and that no one knew where you had gone." Alec nodded.

"I didn't want to be followed. I just wanted a new life with Max here; though I did miss this place." At this point the man snapped his gaze to Max.

"Oh my… but he looks so similar…" The man shook himself, as if snapping out of a memory. He bent down and shook Max's hand energetically. "Hello, young man. I'm Hodge, the main librarian here. I knew your father quite well before he left New York." Alec gestured that he would be one moment to Hodge before leading Max off to the side.

"Listen, Max, I need to have a word with Hodge on my own, but would you like to go off and see my favourite part of this place whilst you are waiting?" Max nodded, keen to see anything that his father liked; he normally liked the most interesting and unusual places, and he also wanted to know a bit about his dad's past – it was mysterious to him, and he wanted to learn more about it so he could learn more about his dad.

"The door is just over there. The room is at the top of a tower, and it is basically a massive greenhouse with plants and flowers and books." Alec pointed to a door that was slightly ajar nestled in between two bookshelves. It was barely visible. "I'll come and get you when I'm finished, yeh?" Max had already begun to hurry towards the door, barely noticing his father smiling after him before turning back to the eccentric librarian.

…

Will could only stare as a boy came around from behind a bush in the room and looked up at the staircase he was sitting on. The boy looked around his own age, with tanned skin, dark hair that matched his own and a slightly Asian slant to his eyes. He looked – actually, he looked very similar to his father. This fact was confirmed when the boy looked up at the staircase and at Will. His eyes were a brilliant golden green that he had only ever seen in Magnus. It was weird, but oh well. Life wasn't fun without coincidences. Will had always encouraged them whenever they appeared.

Looking at the boy again he seemed quite embarrassed, as if he felt like he was invading something private. He had felt that look pass over his face when he had come in too early to his dad's bedroom ever year on the day two days after his birthday – so tomorrow. He quickly smiled at the boy and began to make his way down the stairs towards the boy. He looked interesting, the sort of person he would want to make friends with. The other boy still looked nervous.

"Oh…um…sorry if I was interrupting…um…I'll just…go…" The boy turned away and began to walk towards the door. Will quickly ran after him and put his hand on the other boy's shoulder to stop him. He didn't want to scare him away – it was actually pretty nice to see someone his own age this interested in the books up here; he had seen his face. He had looked astounded, in a way only Will did. Whenever he had tried to take his friends up here, they had seemed bored. But not this boy.

"No, don't go." The boy whipped round, startled. Will smiled. "I'm Will. Who are you?" The boy stuttered for a moment, his head down to the floor and fiddling with the hem of his t-shirt. Then he met Will's gaze and smiled back, as if finding a bit of confidence.

"I'm Max. It's…nice to meet you Will."

"Are you new in the Institute Max? I just haven't seen you here before…well I've never seen anyone up here."

"Yeh… my dad brought me here. He used to live in New York before I was born, and he used to love it up here apparently…" Will laughed.

"What?" Max looked scared, as if he had said something wrong. Will quickly waved his hands at him to try and wave away those thoughts.

"No, it's nothing, honestly. I just didn't realise more people used to know about up here." Max shrugged.

"He just said it's where he met the love of his life. That he used to love to come up here with them and watch the world go by outside and just… just be. Especially in winter." Will nodded.

"My dad comes up here a lot to do that. He's been coming up here for _years, _since before he was my age. He says it makes him feel like he is in his own little world like books do." Max nodded in a way that suggested he was wise beyond his years – just like Will.

"I can see why he sees this place that way. It looks kind of like… like a fantasy world." Will laughed.

"So you like books then? Of course, silly question. You are this impressed by a library."

"Yes, I love books! Books and comics are my favourite things." Will looked impressed.

"So, do you live in New York?" Max shook his head.

"No, California. But I take it you live here? You seem to know the library well."

"Yeh, I just live a short subway ride from here, in Brooklyn. Lived in the same place for all my life with my dad. I…never knew my mom. And dad never talks about her."

"Same. Well, I wouldn't have ever met my mom, she was a surrogate mother, but I never knew my other dad either. My dad and him split up when I was very young and we moved away." Will frowned, contemplating it and thinking. His dad had never told him anything like that level of detail about his past, detail he had wanted to know, he had just gotten the motivation to ask Magnus. Max's past was clearly traumatic, something his father probably wouldn't have wanted to talk about, and yet he still had. If his dad could man up, then Magnus could. Just then a man called up into the room.

"Max? Could you come down please, I've found something I want to show you?" Max looked over his shoulder, sighed, and turned back to Will.

"Sorry, I have to go now. It was nice to meet you, Will." Will smiled.

"I hope I'll see you again before you leave." Max shrugged.

"Maybe." The voice came again, sounding concerned.

"Max?! Are you okay?!"

"Yeh, just coming Dad!" He called over his shoulder. "Bye Will."

"Bye Max." Will watched as Max disappeared down the spiral staircase and out of sight. He hoped that he would see him again, because in the short conversation that they had managed to have he had seemed like a pretty awesome and interesting person, the sort of person that he would want to be friends with and that his dad would actually like. Too bad that he lived in California.

…

Alec watched as Max sauntered down the steps and out of the big door, squeezing through the gap and grinning at his father. He walked up to his dad, and he clapped a hand on his shoulder and led him towards another small table hidden in a bookshelf, chatting to him on the way. Max was smiling, so Alec guessed that he had liked the greenhouse. He just hoped that he would be interested in what Alec had open on the table.

"I take it you liked the greenhouse then." Max nodded energetically at him.

"It had some really good books in it. They looked really old and special, and I met this really nice boy called Will. He was funny." Alec smiled, glad that Max was having a good time. This had been the aim of the trip, after all.

"I have a book to show you, Max. Hodge has just given it to me, as a gift, and it has lots of pictures in it. I think you might be interested in them." The boy looked up at him in curiosity then.

"What are they pictures of?"

"You'll see." They came up to the book, and Max stared down at the page it was open on in curiosity. There were many, many pictures, some small, some large, all stuck down with meticulous care and labelled in a neat print. It had been Alec's photo album of him and Magnus when they were still together, and on the day he had left Alec had left it on the doorstep of the Institute in the hope that Hodge or someone would find it and it would be locked away somewhere safe. Well, he had got it back now, and he was going to treasure it, because the memories had faded to slightly tinted with happiness instead of solely pain.

He watched as Max flicked through the book, looking at all of the photographs of the pair of men, happy and smiling at the camera. Max laughed at some of the photos of Magnus when he was fooling around, of when he had been wearing way too much glitter and when he had nearly given Alec a broken arm by yanking him up onto a wall to have the photo taken. The photographer, who had probably been Jace, had taken a photo of Alec being pulled up and Alec just falling into the sea beyond the wall – and the rocks. That had been a messy but fun afternoon.

Then Max got to the last page, and Alec gulped. These last two pages were clearly labelled 'Our Future – The Four of Us'. There was a picture of the surrogate mother with Magnus and Alec, smiling, the ultrasound scans and the two twins barely a few hours old nose to nose. And then there had been the picture outside hospital, when they had been happy just before the fight. Except there was only Magnus and the other child. Alec had ripped the photo in half, chucked the part with Alec and Max on the floor in his former bedroom, and slotted the other half into the album before leaving it outside the Institute. The picture was labelled, in an unfamiliar script, 'The ones left behind'. Alec plucked the book up and slotted it into his bag.

"I just thought you might want to see that. To sort of get to know your other dad a little bit." Max beamed at Alec.

"I really liked looking at it! It was funny! What happened when you fell off of that wall, though?" Alec laughed.

"Well…" They walked out of the Institute like that, laughing at joking at past anecdotes of Alec and Magnus, happy together. Alec was finally ready to tell Max more, probably because he was back where the memories were strongest, and he was ready to tell Max everything he wanted to know. Even Magnus's name. He was ready for Max to know that after all these years.

…

_**So? What do you think? Please tell me! I really hope you enjoyed the chapter.**_

_**Lu xxx**_


	5. Meetings In Taki's

_**Here we are, and update for you. I had a sudden stroke of inspiration and decided to write. Enjoy! **_

…

The next day, Alec decided to take Max to Taki's, partially because he felt that it was time for him to visit it, and partially because he needed to have a serious chat with his son. He had some big news to break to him that he had found out last night. Max wasn't the only reason he had returned to New York, and now… well now things had changed dramatically again. He was excited because he knew that Max would be mega excited, and it always made him happy to see his little boy smile.

The two of them wandered down the road together, Max going on and on about this other boy that he had met in the Institute the previous day. His son had reacted to the library in exactly the same way Alec had himself when he was younger and he had been fascinated about the book of his two dads, talking non stop about them all of the previous night, and it was only now that he had told Alec about this other kid. Alec was actually quite interested – Max wasn't especially brilliant with new people, much like Alec himself, and so anyone who the boy was comfortable deserved a medal in his eyes.

"…and he looked really impressed by the fact that I love books, everyone else just thinks I am weird!" Max finished happily, grinning up at his father. He smiled back down at him.

"Well, I'm glad you had a good time. What did you say his name was again?" Max hit his forehead playfully.

"I didn't! No, his name was Will. I think it might be short for William." Alec nodded along.

"I'm sure it is." He stopped, realising where they were. "We're here."

Taki's hadn't changed a bit from when he had last been there. The paint was slightly more peeling on the sign, granted, but the bright white lettering spelling out the name was still shining strongly through, and the windows were still lit with a faint, welcoming orange glow. This place brought back more memories than the Institute even had, because it also held the memories of his siblings Isabelle and Jace. They had loved to come here, the three of them, to forget their issues at home and just be normal teenagers for once. He had first come out to them in Taki's. He had first told them all his other secrets there. He had first introduced them to Magnus… okay; he didn't like the drift anymore. This was the present, not the past, and he fully intended to live it to the full.

They found a table in the corner and sat down on the hard plastic bench seats, the rickety metal table creaking ominously as they leant on it. Max looked around curiously at the place, and then even more curiously at the menu – Taki's catered for some more… unusual tastes. Like the rest of the place, the menu hadn't changed one bit, and Alec could vaguely remember some of the faces in here, although he doubted that they would remember him, he had been gone so long. He squinted around, trying to put names to faces, until the waitress Kaelie came to take their order. So she still worked there. It was like nothing had changed here at all – except of course everything had.

She walked up now, her eyes still a glassy translucent blue, her dyed blonde hair still pulled back up on her head and her lips still plastered in bright red. She was unchanged down to the large gold hoops spinning around her ears and the cheap white stilettos. Alec smiled to himself. The girl was absorbed in her notepad, and so hadn't noticed who he was yet.

"Heya, what can I get…you!" Kaelie had looked up, a look of shock and recognition plastered clearly on her face. Who could blame her?

"Alec Lightwood… I was never expecting to see you again!" Alec smiled up at her.

"And hello to you too, Kaelie." He said it lightly, not really meaning to make any major impact.

"Yeh, sorry, it is good to see you it's just… wow. When you disappeared like that, and Magnus went into recluse mode… well, we were never expecting to see you again, any of us." Alec panicked slightly. She slumped down onto the bench across from the boys, drumming her long pink fingernails on the table.

"Yeh, about that Kaelie…" A small, timid voice cut him up.

"Who is Magnus?" Both Kaelie and Alec snapped their heads round. Kaelie pointed a finger at Max.

"Okay, who is that, Alec? Explain?" Alec sighed.

"That's Max, my son, it's a long story, and I'll tell you later." He said quickly. Max interjected again.

"Dad, who is Magnus?" Alec gulped. Kaelie raised a pencilled in eyebrow, and ceased her drumming, but didn't say anything.

"You know I was saying about your other dad… Magnus is him. That's his name." Kaelie's eyebrows shot into her hair.

"Wait, you and Magnus had a kid? With like, a surrogate or something? What?!" Alec gulped again.

"Yep. I'm surprised he didn't tell you actually. He never was one for secrets. Oh no, he was. I forget." The sound in his voice was so bitter and full of pain that he hated it, but he couldn't help himself. It had to be said. It had to be.

"No. No one has seen him since… since then. He just shut himself off from everyone he had ever known, still in public what with the magazine but… yeh. We haven't heard from him since whatever it was happened and you just disappeared into thin air. You know, Iz and Jace are still really cut up about that, they are going to be so excited when I tell them!" Alec raised his hands and shook them.

"No, no, no Kaelie, they are not to know I am back. I have a new life now, a new family, and I just want to leave all of those memories behind." Kaelie smiled evilly at him, and waved her phone up. She had clearly been texting under the table.

"Too bad. Already texted Isabelle. They're gonna be here in…" She checked her phone. "Two minutes." Alec blanched.

"Dad, who are Jace and Isabelle?"

"My brother and sister."

Okay, so he may have forgotten, okay consciously decided, to not tell Max about his siblings. He didn't want too much complication. Plus he was scared about too much conversation about them, because he regretted just leaving them. They had no idea what had actually happened between him and Magnus, why he had left, even about Max. God, this was messed up. And now, he was just totally screwed.

"Come on Max, we are leaving. Now." He grabbed the boy's hand and led him firmly out of the booth and into the main restaurant area. He turned around and shot a venomous look at Kaelie, who looked like she was about to giggle.

"Thanks a lot Kaelie. It's good to know that you're still a heartless bitch." She finally let out that annoying tinkling laugh that he certainly hadn't missed.

"Turn around why don't you." Alec did just that. If it was possible for him to get any paler, then he did.

Isabelle and Jace Lightwood were hurrying down the street, heads tucked against the wind. They were both the same; well, almost. Jace was unchanged, exactly the way Alec remembered. The same golden hair and stoic face, determined and strong, the same black coat and jeans and heavy biker boots. Izzy still had the beautifully ebony locks and thigh high boots, but her figure was no longer quite slender in her tight silvery dress. There was a slight bulge in her abdomen. So she was pregnant. Probably pregnant with a guy that Alec had never met before. Oh shit. The guilt again. Maybe Jace had a family? No, no, no. No. He just needed to get out of this damned situation and fast. He couldn't open up the old wounds again – they had been bandaged and healed for a reason. He whipped his head back around to Kaelie – he had about two extra seconds because the table was right in the corner but that was it.

"Kaelie, seriously, just let me out of the back exit or something, please!" He could hear the pleading edge to his own voice, the desperation, the sheer panic. She waggled her finger at him.

"Oh no, I cannot wait to see how this one plays out. Good look, sweetie!" Alec heard the door swing open, felt Max's grip on his hand tighten enormously. Kaelie waved energetically over his shoulder, her grin broad and teasing.

"Hey, you two, over here!" She shouted gleefully. She turned to Alec. "Have fun."

Her heels clacked loudly on the floor as she made her way towards the kitchen away from him. He felt two people come up to stand behind him and Max, but he didn't dare to turn around. It was one thing trying to face the city and the places and the people who had been in the background. It was another _entirely_ to try and face those who had been as key in his life as Iz and Jace had. He gulped. He would not turn around. He wouldn't. Max didn't seem very inclined to either, still hanging onto Alec s if he was the last thing left to break his fall. Maybe he could just sense his dad's apprehension and therefore was fearful too.

"Where have you been for the past _eight years_ Alec?!" It was Isabelle talking, the anger clear in her voice. Even in the short phrase, her voice had raised at least an octave. "Hmm? Eight years, no word, no reasons, just thin air left where our brother had once stood. And Magnus closed off, and no one else knowing either?!" Alec had begun to shake slightly, his breath becoming hitched.

"Oh, won't even turn round and face us?" Jace. Snarky and cold. He was giving Alec the front he gave to those he didn't know. Well, Jace didn't know him. Not anymore.

"Alec, why the hell did you do that to us when we needed you most?! You missed Jace's first kid, you nearly missed mine, you missed our weddings, you missed _everything_!" She sounded furious. "How could you even contemplate leaving us?! We are your siblings! Does that mean _anything_ to you?!"

At that moment something snapped inside Alec. He had lived with this guilt the entire time. He had done this for some selfish reasons, yes, trying to escape the pain of life. However, he had had unselfish reasons too. He had been just messing up the relationship Jace and Izzy had with their parents; whenever he had stepped in to look after them when his parents had been away, all hell had broken loose. This had been most weeks. He had not wanted to give awful reminders to Magnus, to trouble him, to pain him. He was better off out of their lives. Oh God. He snapped around, terrified that he was going to mess things up but knowing that it was going to happen whether he liked it or not.

"Yes, because I am entirely selfish, aren't I?! I screwed up my relationship big time because I spent almost every weekend with you and not with my boyfriend, who mistook it for me cavorting with Jace because he thought I still liked him! I moved away so that you wouldn't get caught in the crossfire between me and Robert and Maryse which left you crying on most occasions! I moved so that I wouldn't remind Magnus of everything! I moved to give Max a better life than the one I have had, and I moved so that I would not burden any of you with my moping over the relationship! So don't you dare call me selfish and like I don't care about you because I have done _everything _in my life for _other people _and _nothing whatsoever for myself!_"

Alec found himself shaking with rage now, at them, at his parents, at life, at the whole flipping world. He just stared at the golden eyes and the black ones, the shock in their eyes that made Alec feel guilty again despite everything. That was what he hated, that was what he hated beyond everything. He knew he was crying, but he really couldn't help it. He felt Max tugging at his sleeve nervously.

"Is this Uncle Jace and Aunty Izzy?" Alec looked down at his son, quickly nodding.

"They don't deserve those titles, but yes." His gaze snapped back up to the startled looking pair.

"Yeh, I'm not the only one who has missed the first children. The difference is, Max was conceived when I still knew you two. And it is a very long and complicated story, but I am _sure _that you won't want to hear it because you are too wrapped up in your own little worlds to care about anyone else."

He said this coldly and with as much poison as he possibly could. Alec was well aware that the entire of the little café was probably staring right at the admittedly unusual and exciting scene unfurling before their eyes, but he couldn't bring himself to care. Let them stare. Let them judge. Screw the world; he had had enough of it treating him like bullshit. Absolutely enough.

"If it pleases you two so much, I'm moving back to New York for a job, so I'm sure you guys will just love to use me to your advantage again. Don't expect me to come running back to you, because to be honest I am fed up of the way you guys have been treating me and I really don't want to know you. Come on Max, we are leaving." Jace looked as him with a disconnected blankness, as if he was trying to process everything he had just heard, and Izzy looked desperate.

"Alec…" He put up a hand to silence her.

"I don't want to hear it Iz. I'm sorry, but I don't.

And with that he stormed past his siblings, Max in tow, and out of the place. The tears had begun to flow freely down his face as the two of them made their way along the side walk and towards the tube station in an awful, sad silence. Alec knew he shouldn't have shouted so much, but he hadn't been ale to help it. He was fed up of being kicked around and treated like he didn't matter and being blamed for everything. He hated the fact that he had been made to believe that it was his fault every time something went wrong, even when it blatantly wasn't, but it had gotten to the stage where he simply wasn't able to help it anymore.

After a short time Max broke the silence.

"Daddy…" Oh god. Max hadn't called him that for years. This was bad.

"Yes Max?" He said as softly as he could. His hands were still shaking, one of them clasped around Max's.

"Did you really move away from all of the things you loved for me?" Alec sighed.

"I moved to get away from my own demons, to protect the people here, and to protect you. Don't blame yourself for anything that happened back there okay? Okay, Max?" He said this gently but firmly/ Max nodded and leant slightly on Alec as they walked. The mood between them both was awfully depressing.

"I am so sorry that you had to be there when that happened Max. You shouldn't have had to witness that at all, that should have been something that you were shielded from." Max shook his head.

"It wasn't your fault, it was Kellie's." Alec laughed.

"Kaelie's, but yep, I guess so. She always did have a habit of sticking her nose into things with disastrous consequences. Always found it hilarious. I can only assume that she still does." Max snorted.

"She sounds awful." He looked down to see the boy wrinkling his nose.

"Ohh, believe me she is. I hope that you will never have the misfortune to run across someone like her in your life." Max giggled.

"Why does she hate you so much though?" Alec raised his eyebrows at the boy.

"Oh you noticed that, did you? Well, basically, it is because she always felt rivalry between us over Jace, because we both liked him - in fact, she used the fact that I did to blackmail me on several occasions. Anyway, she always hated the fact that I was closer to him than she was, and that he actually appeared to like me as a person, whereas he clearly didn't like her." Max furrowed his brow.

"But I though Jace was your brother?" He nodded.

"He is. Adopted. At the time he was only being fostered by us. By the time my parents adopted him I had moved on. It was just a childish crush, we were only what, eleven, but Kaelie still held it against me. She has always been way too serious about getting the right guy from an early age, and for her Jace is a star catch. Too bad he is married – well, I assume he is anyway." Max nodded, but his brow was still furrowed. He looked up at Alec, a very serious expression on his face.

"Okay, but I still don't understand something."

"And what may I ask is that, Max."

"Dad, what is a 'catch'?" Alec could only laugh at that.

…

_**What do you think? This was only meant to be short scene, but then it kind of just went on… Oh well. I hope you enjoyed reading it, and I plan to update soon, but school may have to take priority I am afraid. **___

_**Lu xxx**_


	6. Memories and Futures

_**Another update for you today because I am feeling in the mood to write and another dedication to Tibbiel, who is just awesome and IS an angel (she has a halo and everything). Enjoy the chapter; I have tried to make it a bit longer this time. **_

_**Lu xxx**_

* * *

><p>Alec led Max along the rapidly darkening street towards the new marble building that had been open only a few weeks. This was where their apartment was. The apartment that was to become their home. The rest of their things were going to be shipped over and dropped off at some point over the next couple of days and the following Monday he would begin work as a columnist in the biggest newspaper in the city, The Idris Times. Alec had been writing for the newspaper in their small town back in California for years on and off, but when he had been told that he had been offered a job by arguably the biggest newspaper in the country it had been a dream come true. The massively posh apartment on Riverside Drive that had come with the job had also been a dream come true. It was just too bad that the city and the people in it were Alec's worst nightmare.<p>

The two of them wandered into the lobby. There was a shining black marble desk, tasteful chaste lounges scattered at equally tasteful intervals, and white light glowing softly from crystals on the walls. The entire lobby actually was black, but it didn't feel cold or dark; the lights were strong enough to prevent that, but not so strong as to blind you. It was all actually very nice. Max was looking around in awe at the place, his small suitcase trailing behind him quietly. He looked perfect to Alec. He gave his son's hand a quick squeeze as they came up to the desk. A short woman sat behind the desk tapping something away at the computer. The white blouse and prim bun did nothing to hide the girl herself. Wisps of bright red hair were flung around her face and the mascara she was wearing was slightly smudged under her eyes. No matter how much more grown up she looked, Alec would never be able to mistake her for anyone else. Clary. She had been Jace's girlfriend when he had left. He wondered if that was who he had married. In a way, he hoped so. Clary had always been a very good influence on Jace, levelling him, telling him off when he snapped out. She was brilliant.

She smiled as she looked up, beaming from ear to ear. So she had no hard feelings about him.

"Oh my goodness Alec, it's great to see you!" She got up and hugged him across the desk. "I knew that some A. Lightwood was going to be living in the penthouse here but I didn't dare hope it was going to be you! I've missed you so much!" Alec laughed, drawing back. He noticed the two sparkling rings decorating her ring finger. So she was married.

"It's great to see you too! And I guess congratulations are in order. Who is it then? Anyone I know?" Alec pointed to the rings. Clary blushed a deep shade of maroon. It was adorable.

"Yeh, Jace. Three years ago." Alec smiled.

"Well, I'm glad; you two are perfect for each other! Any little ones yet, or not?" Clary nodded.

"Yeh, Tessa. She's two. I hate leaving her, but we needed the extra money and I have a good childminder." She looked over the desk and saw Max staring up at her in wonder. She glanced back at Alec.

"I see you have one of your own. Heya!" She said, waving at the boy. He waved back at her.

"Hello. I'm Max. You're Clary, aren't you? Daddy always spoke about you. He said you were very special and very nice and that you would be a great godmother to me if you could meet me!" Now it was Alec's turn to blush.

"You made me Max's godmother?" She asked.

"Yep. Who else? You are perfect." She smiled again at that, and looked down at Max.

"Well, young man, I can think of no greater honour than being your godmother, and I fully intend to spend as much time as possible with you." She turned back to Alec. "And I think we need to have a proper catch up coffee too. Tomorrow afternoon at Taki's?" Alec nodded – he wasn't going to let the earlier incident put him off of the place that he loved so much. Although he may have to figure out a way to get Kaelie sacked. Okay, he definitely would.

"Sounds good!" Clary laughed before beginning to rummage behind the desk for something. Alec had to wait a couple of minutes and listen to a crash and several choice swear words before she finally emerged, her hair now even more messed up, and raised a set of keys triumphantly before his eyes.

"Your keys sir." She batted her eyelashes at him and pouted, doing a perfect imitation of a Bond girl. Alec hit her gently on the shoulder and took the keys gently from her outstretched finger.

"Cut it out, Clary, that is _not_ attractive." He said it with a laugh though, and as he made to his way to the lift with Max he turned back and gave her a quick salute, a gesture that they had used a lot when they were younger and quite good friends.

"See you tomorrow then. Let's say three?" Clary saluted back.

"Gotcha!"

He smiled as they ascended the building in the spacious lift, the only one in his life that had given extra room after two people and their suitcases had crammed in. At least one of the people he had left behind did not hold anything against him, and was still willing to know him without constantly moaning about his faults and how he had supposedly abandoned him. It was very nice to know that someone still cared about _him _as a person, and not just at how he could be used to their advantage as a means to an end. He just hoped that Clary wouldn't drag Jace along to the meeting as well. He would not be able to cope with that at all, that would be too much too soon, especially after what had happened yesterday in Taki's. He had always imagined Izzy as selfish and obnoxious, but he had always thought that Jace was loyal and caring under the façade, standing by his family. Clearly that had been the wrong assumption to make about the boy. Maybe Alec had needed the separation from his family to see what they really were.

The lift screeched to a halt – apparently that was a generic feature of all of them – and the doors swung open onto the top floor. The two of them slid out into the corridor as the doors swung shut again, and after a bit of fiddling the lock in the door clicked open and the apartment was revealed. Like the rest of the building, it appeared to be mostly marble, with a slick modern kitchen and plush black leather sofas everywhere. After a little trial and error, Alec found the room destined to be Max's and put the boy to be before dropping onto one of the sofas, flicking on the plasma screen TV, and switching the channel until it got to the news. It was the only decent thing on, proof that Thursday night television was atrocious.

* * *

><p>Magnus groaned. It was his week off this week – he always took this week off from the magazine he edited because Will was off school and it was his birthday – and he had been sleeping in. The phone was ringing. Who had the indecency to ring this early? Most people would think that two in the afternoon was actually rather late, especially on a weekday, but Magnus begged to differ – when he was on holiday he partied way into the night and slept well into the day. Groggily he leant over the bed and slid his mobile off of the bedside table. It was an unknown number. Great. If this was some crumby guy trying to sell him insurance he was going to be severely pissed off. He hit the answer button dubiously and held the damn thing up to his ears.<p>

"Magnus Bane speaking, who the hell is this?" He snapped, the irritation at the caller very evident in his voice. The caller giggled very annoyingly in a high pitched, girly fashion. Great. Just what he needed.

"Why, it's me, Kaelie, from Taki's! We've all missed you a lot, you know!" Magnus felt fury rise in his chest. He loathed Kaelie with every fibre of his being.

"I don't care. Who gave you my fricking number?!" Kaelie tutted loudly and Magnus could almost see her rolling her eyes dramatically.

"A guy at you office. Jordan. I promised him that I would put a good word in with one of my customers for him if he gave me it." She giggled again. It was completely infuriating, and made him want to rip his own hair out. Or better, rip out Kaelie's. He doubted that would be hard – from what he remembered it was mostly tacky extensions anyway.

"Well, he's fired when I get in on Monday. As for you, if you call again I will report you to the police for abuse. I do not want to know you. I would rather not acknowledge your existence thanks."

"Well, do you want to know your old friends, Magnus? Or have you forgotten them? Izzy, Jace, Clary. And who could forget A…" Magnus hung up abruptly. He did not want to hear about Alec, not today. It had been eight years since he had made the biggest mistake of his life, and he didn't want to go back there. He had tried to move on, and was getting his life back on track. Alec was history. He had accepted long ago that he was never going to return from whatever place he had disappeared to. He had Will. He was all he needed in his life. Well, almost all.

The phone rang again. Magnus assumed that it must be Kaelie ringing him back to piss him off some more, and was in half a mind to throw it at the wall, but it was new – and anyway, it would be much more fun to shout at her like a lunatic than deal with more insurance paperwork. He had already broken his phone at least twice this month. It had become a bit of a habit to throw it at things when he was upset or angry or stressed. Which apparently was quite a lot.

"Oh for god's sake Kaelie will you _stop ringing me_!" He heard someone breathe in sharply in the background.

"Okay, who the hell is Kaelie Magnus?" Magnus bit down on his lip. Shit. It was…

"Camille, sorry, she isn't anyone. Well, she is. She is this deranged bitch who keeps calling me to wind me up about stuff that happened years ago that didn't even involve her. She's the waitress at Taki's."

"Oh, alright." Camille sounded like she accepted this, but Magnus wasn't sure – there still seemed to be a bit of apprehension in her voice. It worried him.

"Anyway, Camille my dear, what is it you want?"

"Well Magnus, I happen to be outside your door and I was wondering if it would be okay if I came in?"

"Yeh, sure. Will is out at his friend's house and will be overnight, so we have all the time you want. Feel free to venture into my humble abode. I will be out in about ten minutes – I happen to have just woken up."

"Okay then sweetie. Ten minutes." This time it was Camille who hung up. He had just pulled on any random pair of jeans and a purple button down shirt with a glittery collar and buttons when he heard the door swing open – Camille had had a key to the apartment for a few months now. He ran into the bathroom to quickly put on at least eyeliner and then some glittery hair gel. He had to make a least some effort to look magnificent, even if it would have to be a very toned down look.

When he deemed himself fit, he flung open his bedroom door and faced the scene. There was Camille on the low red leather sofa, pouting up at him with blood red lipstick that lit up her pale face. The red summer dress she wore would be considered by most verging on indecent but to Magnus very modest, and the heels were not saucy, contrary to popular belief, but rather stylish and sophisticated. All three shades were exactly the same. Her pale blonde hair fell around her face in a golden waterfall, and Magnus wondered how many hours she had spent getting it perfect – getting herself perfect. She battered her long, black eyelashes at him and stood up. Her eyes glinted a dangerous acid green. Magnus loved danger.

"Hello darling." She purred in a heavy accent. "I trust that I find you well on this striking afternoon?" The seductive tone in her voice made Magnus shudder slightly. He ignored the feeling.

"You do indeed Camille. To what do I owe the pleasure today?" Camille laughed. It was not the girlish flirting noise that Kaelie had made – this was strong and predatory. And very unnerving. Camille may have been Magnus's girlfriend, but she scared him. A lot.

"Why, I just wanted to see you Magnus! Is that too much to ask?"

She smiled, showing her sharp little teeth, and began to advance towards Magnus like a lion may stalk a gazelle. Magnus just stood there with an equally predatory glare. Rule one of loving Camille Belcourt – show all of your strengths and absolutely none of your weaknesses. As soon as she gets one of those she will use it to wrap you around her little finger and get what she wants. Well, Magnus had already allowed that to happen, and had done it to her. It was a level playing field.

"Absolutely not my sweet. It is always an honour to be in your presence." She was right in front of him. Magnus blinked. There was no space between them.

"And it is a privilege to be in yours."

Magnus wrapped his hands around Camille's waist, bringing her even closer to him. She placed her hands on her shoulder, gripping them tightly. He was going to have claw – no, nail – marks the next day. In her killer heels – Magnus had no doubt that Camille could kill a man in them, in fact she probably already had – she was almost as tall as him. Their foreheads and noses pressed gently together. Magnus could feel the heat washing off him and the coolness of her skin seep into his. Her skin was so very, very cold. Maybe it was because her heart was made of ice. Magnus didn't care though. He had given up in romance eight years ago when he had made the worst mistake of his life. Camille was just a distraction, but she didn't mind. He was a distraction for her as well. Magnus closed the gap between them finally, crushing his lips against hers. She tasted of strawberries.

* * *

><p>Will eventually got home from Eric's house at around eight at night. Eric's mom had ridden back with him in the taxi and made sure that he had gotten into the building alright, but Will was annoyed at that. It was light outside, so surely he would be fine? Okay, he knew that there would be dangers, but he could deal with danger, because it was normally waiting for him in the apartment that he shared with his father every time he had been out for the day. The real trouble lay inside, and not outside. The real trouble was a bitch, and Will hated her.<p>

Sure enough, when he walked in the door the trouble was sat giggling on the sofa with his dad, getting cherries popped into her mouth playfully. Will thought it was disgusting. Not the love business. The Camille using her father to pay her own debts off and keep her lavish lifestyle. Maybe the red overload was a symbol. It was a symbol of how that monster was bleeding his dad dry and taking him away from Will. He just hoped Camille never married Magnus. She would be the epitome of wicked stepmother. And from what Will had read about evil stepmothers in books; it would be horrific.

He dumped his bag mercilessly on the floor and kicked off his converse expertly, causing them to spiral several times in the air before landing perfectly next to each other. His dad had taught him that. Then he slammed the door shut. Still, his father and Camille didn't notice his presence, or pretended not too anyway. That was the worst thing Camille did – she made his dad forget his existence entirely. And when Will's dad was everything that he had, and everything he had ever had, this upset him quite a lot; all he wanted to do was punch her and mess up that pretty face – okay, so maybe he had read a few too many violent books for his age. Oh well. She did deserve it. However, today he decided that the best tactic would be to be nice to Camille. Maybe that would gain their attention, as this never happened. Both adults knew that Will hated their relationship.

"Hi Dad. Hi Camille." No response. Will came up right behind the sofa and placed a hand on the back of it.

"I think I'm going to go to bed now, I'm exhausted. Don't worry about dinner – Eric's mom fed me." Still no acknowledgement.

Will looked at his father. He was entirely transfixed on Camille, his golden green eyes that Will had seen pretty much nowhere else – Magnus had just stated that the blue eyes came from the other side of the family, so Will assumed that his mother had had them – gazing in a strange, glazed over manner into the acid green ones boring back into him. But the strange thing was that to Will, it didn't appear to be love. It seemed like something else, and there almost seemed to be some underlying sadness, some deep pain in there that Will was confused about. But his dad was happy with Camille! He was smiling! So why did he look so very, very unhappy?

"Dad, why do you look so sad?" Max asked. At that his father's head snapped up and he turned to face his son. Finally.

"What do you mean, Will?" He asked quickly. Will noticed that there was the hint of panic in his voice. But why?

"Well, you look happy but then you look really unhappy too!" Camille suddenly slapped her hand over her mouth, before lowering it slowly. She had red talons, sorry nails, too.

"Oh my God, I am so sorry, it's the anniversary today isn't it?!" Both Magnus and Will snapped their eyes to her, and fast.

"What?!" The exclaimed simultaneously. Will's dad was the first to speak again after that.

"What do you mean, Camille?" He hissed as her through his teeth. Will had seen that look before; he was trying desperately hard no to slap her. He had to suppress a giggle.

"I'm sorry, I whould never have come, I'll just go…"

"What anniversary?"

"No Camille, it's fine, you can stay, I don't mind…"

"Magnus, I'm sure you just need space to clear your head about the whole thing, I know how upset you still are about it…"

"Camille please just be quiet…" Magnus gestured towards Will with his head.

"What anniversary?!"

"I know how much you still miss him, I mean eight years after what you went through is awful…"

"Dad…"

"_Just shut up!_" Magus roared suddenly standing up with a look of fury on his face. This again died down to something that Will couldn't place. All he knew was that he didn't like seeing his dad like that.

"Camille, please leave. I'm sorry, but please just go." His voice was shaking, Will noticed, as was the rest of him. Magnus watched as Camille sauntered out of the door, her head held arrogantly high, before pinching the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger and turning towards Will.

"Will, go to bed. I'll see you in the morning, yeh?" Will nodded, eager not to upset his dad any further, because he was sure that this was his fault for bringing up the topic like he did in front of Camille. He ran forward and grabbed his father tightly around the waist in a hug.

"I'm sorry, Dad." Magnus ruffled his hair affectionately.

"Sorry for what, Will?"

"For making you sad." Magnus laughed slightly – it was a shaky laugh, and a sad one. A hopeless one. It scared Will, because his dad had always been the most hopeful person that he had ever known.

"That's not your fault. It's my fault." Magnus kissed the top of his son's hair. "Now, go to bed please." Will nodded again, and hopped off to his bedroom, still worried but deciding not to worry think about it. His dad had dealt with everything, so surely his dad could deal with this? Only time would tell.

* * *

><p>Max had gone to bed, but he wasn't sleeping. He was flicking through the photo album that belonged to his father instead, looking at all of the pictures and trying to piece together his other father. Magnus. Well, the name suited him well. In all the pictures he certainly looked flamboyant; he seemed to be in love with glitter and colour, never dressed in just grey and black like his dad. He was always smiling, always joking around. He never looked really too serious, more just the sort of person who enjoyed life and lived for the moment. The strange thing was, seeing his dad in the pictures, he seemed happy and carefree as well, as if Magnus was teaching him to live. Now he just looked serious all of the time, and quite sad as well. Max wondered if he had ever stopped missing Magnus after what had happened. By the looks of things, no.<p>

He was also quite shaken up by the day's events. First of all, he had found out a bit about Alec's life pre-California. All he had known previously was that he had been born of a surrogate mother, he had two dads, he had a twin brother, his dads had broken up and he had moved to California. No reasons why or anything. But now, it was starting to come together. The hard life that his dad had had before Max, the sadness and rejection he had had even then. The way his sister and his brother were awful to him and blamed him for everything. How that was one of the main reasons why the relationship broke down. Max still didn't know much about the break up, though. He didn't know whether it was just that, or whether there were other factors in play. He would ask his dad one day, but for now he didn't want to upset him any more, so he decided to just be content with what he knew. After all, Will from the library knew virtually nothing, his dad had told him nothing at all about his past.

He sighed, the tiredness finally hitting him strongly. He looked at his alarm clock; eleven o'clock. Now was probably a very good time to go to sleep if he was going to be up and doing things the next day, and besides the thought he might end up falling asleep anyway if he tried to stay up much longer. He let his favourite photograph sink into his brain before laying back on the mountain of pillows that he had built himself and letting sleep gradually carry him away like a boat on a lazy stream. The image stayed with him until he fell over the waterfall into darkness.

The picture was of Magnus and his dad at the beach at sunset (Max was still trying to adjust to this new person having name, and wasn't able to call him dad just yet). They were standing on the pier against the glowing orange sky looking at each other and laughing, as if sharing a private joke that only they knew. The look between them was of pure love and understanding, something that Max would have thought unmovable. But apparently, it had been moved. And all through his dreams that night, he was subconsciously asking himself – what could have happened between them that made their love not enough? Or was the whole break up a mistake that never should have, never needed to have taken place?

* * *

><p><em>Magnus was staring at him not with hate, but with an expression on his face that he just couldn't place. Alec didn't want to admit it, but he was pretty sure it was a look of betrayal, of hurt. When Alec had got back from babysitting his brother and sister – seriously, they were only a few years younger than him, but his parents insisted that he came and cooked for them and so on when they were out, which was most weekends and quite a lot of weekdays – Magnus had been slumped in an armchair with his chin on his fist waiting. Alec was scared that he had upset Magnus, but he also couldn't abandon his family. He just couldn't do it. It was ridiculous.<em>

"_Magnus, I am sorry, I had to go to look after them…" _

"_Had to? Or wanted to?"_

"_What do you mean by that?!"_

"_I mean that I reckon that you just go all the time because despite everything that we have been through together you are still in love with Jace and are actually just popping over there to have a good time with him!" Alec laughed. It wasn't a happy laugh. It was a cold laugh._

"_Why are you obsessed with this idea that I am still in love with Jace?! I'm in love with _you _Magnus! You, and not anyone else!" Magnus ran his hands through his hair, clearly frustrated and confused and hurt._

"_Can you prove that you only love me?"_

"_How?! Tell me that Magnus, how?!" _

"_By not going to see your siblings every other day! They can find someone else, Alec!" _

"_You know that it doesn't work like that Magnus! And anyway, would oyu like to explain the rose perfume that this place always smells like when I have been out? I'm not stupid. I know that Caamille had been coming here a lot lately. The difference is, whilst I'm telling the truth about not having any other romantic feelings, I think you lie every time you say that you only love me. I think you're having an affair with that bitch." _

"_That's not true, Alec, we are just friends."_

"_Why should I believe that when you refuse to believe me?" He said it with a calm, logical certainty, a reasonableness that he only employed in these situations. "Look, please can we just try and make this work Magnus, for the boys? They only cam home today. Today. We can't let them live with parents that argue like us. This needs fixing, please Magnus!" Alec knew he was begging, but he couldn't bear to see these two children hurt. They meant everything to him, he could not let them go through that._

"_You're right Alec. They can't live with parents that argue like us. This does need fixing." The words should have reassured Alec, but they didn't. They just scared him more an more. There was a really ominous feeling in the room, a feeling of despair and hope and love lost. Alec absolutely hated it, he wanted it to just go back where it had come from and leave him alone._

_Magnus turned away from him, and the feeling only got worse. He watched as his boyfriend raked his hands through his sparkling hair again. His hands were shaking as he did so, Alec noted. Magnus never shook. Ever. Crap. This was serious. No. No, this could not be happening. It couldn't be. It couldn't. It couldn't. It couldn't. But it was._

"_I'm sorry Alec, but it's over."_

Alec's eyes snapped open and he gasped for air. His forehead was covered in a thin veil of sweat and his heart was hammering in his chest so hard that he felt like his ribs were breaking over it. It was just a dream. A memory, but it wasn't happening now. It was just a dream, a dream, which he needed to forget and move on from. It wasn't real. It was not real. But the tears were. They ran down his face in torrents, like a waterfall of emotions. It was too much with all the memories resurfacing on the anniversary and being in this place again. What a stupid time of year to come. But he was here now, and he was going to have to face it again, because he could not let this event rule his life. It was in power now, but it was time for a revolution. It was the moment for times to change. He was just going to have to get out of the fact that this had all been entirely his fault.

* * *

><p><em>He sat there looking at the joint on the table. He had been clean since he was what fifteen? The year he had first met Alec. Yeh. A year later they had been cannon. Now, he was a mess again, slipping back into all of the worst habits that the other boy had been able to iron out. He knew this was mostly his fault. He knew that he should have been more understanding of Alec and his family, he knew that it was very important to him, but he had been too jealous, and too hypocritical. He had just over thought everything, and instead of trying to work out how they could get over the problem like Alec had begged him to he had just sat back and acted all high and mighty, accusing Alec of things that he knew weren't true, and then denying when Alec had accused him of something that was. <em>

_At first, what he had said had been true – Camille had just been a friend to whom he could tell all of his issues, and with whom he could just relax. He had had her over when Alec was out to talk about his concerns about their relationship and Camille had just been understanding and reassuring. All the while Magnus should have let his mind tell him what he knew subconsciously was true, that Camille had been winding him around her little finger and hunting him like the snake she was. She had become more and more seductive as the time went on, pulling him closer, drawing him in so slowly and carefully that it was impossible to tell. Or maybe his mind had just glossed over it. Either way, he hadn't realised until he was right inside her trap, and there was no escape. The first time she had kissed him had been when he was a year into his relationship with Alec. The kiss had been like a drug, pulling Magnus into another addiction, but causing him serious damage as well. Camille had caught him good and proper, and a him and Alec had drifted further apart and then closer like the tide, he had been pulled out to sea until he was drowning, and Camille was the only source of air but all the while was dragging him further under. And now she was at his door again._

"_Come in, Camille." He sighed, exasperated. Right now he wanted a distraction, and she was the perfect candidate. He knew that it was wrong, that she had been one to mess things up for him, but he couldn't help himself. He was hooked on her._

"_Why hello Magnus. How splendid to see you." Her regal voice feigned caring, but underneath she was cold. Cold and manipulative. She could do devious and passionate. Those were the two emotions she actually felt. The rest was lies. Just lies._

"_And it is wonderful to see you too, Camille. Do sit down." Camille clacked over in her sharpened silver heels and perched herself on Magnus's lap._

"_May I sit here, Magnus?" She asked, although he doubted she needed his approval – she was going to sit there anyway._

"_Of course my dear." She lazily reached up and lifted Magnus's chin, brushing gently along his cheekbone in a soothing manner. Magnus knew that it was all an act, but he was able to find some comfort in the motion._

"_Are you alright Magnus? You look unhappy." Magnus reached up his hand and placed it over hers._

"_I just feel so guilty Camille." She smiled, showing pointed white teeth. Oh god. Here comes devious. Brace yourself, Magnus, his brain told him, but he refused to listen to it. He needed someone, anyone right now, and if Camille was willing to help him out, well, she would have to do._

"_Do you want me to help you feel less guilty?" Magnus didn't know what to say to that at all, but luckily someone else helped him out. A loud crying echoed through the apartment. His son had woken up, and obviously needed something. By the sounds of it, he was hungry – Magnus may have not known little Will very long, but he had learnt to recognise _that _call._

"_I'm sorry Camille, I'm gonna have to go sort out Will, I can't leave him hungry." He said, glancing over to the crib in the corner of the room._

"_Why? Can't he wait an hour or two?" Magnus sighed, trying to push her off of him. She wouldn't move, and looped her arms round the back of his neck in protest._

"_No, Camille, he can't, he is a seven day old baby!" He grabbed her hands and pinned them down on either side of her. "Now get off and let me see to him!" She looked furious, and stodd up quickly, drawing back her hands and rubbing at her wrists where he had grabbed them. They looked slightly red, but it would fade in a couple of minutes. Magnus would never hurt her properly. He could never do that to anyone._

"_Fine. You know what, fine. Care more about him than me. But it's basically your way of saying tjat you are always going to love Alec more than me and no matter how much I give to you, you'll still never love me the way that I love you. Don't expect me to call, Bane." _

_She stormed off out of the apartment, slamming the door behind her and muttering under her breath. For once, Magnus was glad to see her go. He got up and padded barefoot over to the crib, the joint now entirely forgotten. Maybe Will would be his was of getting through this. Maybe he would go back to drugs, and maybe he would get with Camille finally after all of this messing about, but William would be his rock, keeping him sane, keeping him on track. In return, Magnus would love the boy with all of his heart. He cradled his son to his chest, and he immediately stopped crying. Maybe that was what Will had need after all – not food, but his father. And Magnus was sure as hell going to be there for him for eternity and a day._

* * *

><p><em><strong>An extra long chapter for you! Hope you have enjoyed! Lu xxx<strong>_


	7. Talking to Clary

_**I am back with an update for you. **_

* * *

><p>Three the next day found Alec slumped into the hard bench seat at Taki's again, waiting for Clary to arrive. He had dropped Max off at the Institute about half an hour previously – this was hopefully going to be a private chat. Alec's worst fear was that Clary would bring Jace along because he really didn't want to see his brother again, but… well, who knew. Alec had just decided to go with it, which wasn't working. He was nervous and jittery; waiting for half an hour could do that for you, especially for Alec. And naturally, Clary was late.<p>

Alec looked out of the window, at the oranges and yellows on the trees and the faint trace of damp in the air, and took it all in. It was New York, home and memories and just everything. Alec honestly didn't know how he had been able to leave all of it, but then again, he didn't quite know how he had managed to survive here either. He was just glad to be back, to have the chance to start again in the city that he loved and just… live. Magnus all those years ago had taught him to live a little, and although he wasn't with the man anymore he still remembered some stuff. Well, a lot of stuff. The memories, especially the really old ones, had become faded with time, and when Alec recalled what they had done together when they were fifteen the images were happy rather than holding pain.

Suddenly the image was broken by a figure walking unhurriedly down the sidewalk in a beautiful emerald green summer dress that shimmered slightly in the sun and massive black combat boots. No normal person could pull it off but then again Clary was one of those epic people that could. Clutching firmly to her hand was a small girl, a waterfall of curling golden-blonde hair falling down her back almost to her waist. She looked so cute in her little denim shorts and white button-down vest top it was unbelievable. It was clear that she had Jace's charm and Clary's stubborn uniqueness and spark. It was also clear that she had inherited Clary's height – the girl was sturdy but tiny; she looked as fragile as a porcelain doll, breakable if you so much as touched her, yet as strong as titanium. She was precious. Alec knew that. She was his niece, Tessa. Wow.

Clary beamed as she walked into Taki's and waved a little at him as she walked over. Tessa was clinging onto her nervously, latched onto her side like a limpet, her hair waving around her as she tilted her head slightly forward and partially hiding her from view. She looked a little like Alec then, very subconscious and willing herself to be hidden from the world. But then any thought Alec had on the parallels between himself and the girls disappeared when the two of them shuffled a little clumsily – some things had obviously not changed – over to the booth and slid in opposite him. The little girl twirled a lock of hair around her finger and looked up slightly. She had dazzling green eyes, the colour of spring grass in Central Park. Just like Clary's. Just like Clary's, they would grow up to show every inch of her soul in a single second.

"Hey Alec. How are you?" Clary hugged him across the table. Alec hugged back. He didn't care if people were staring.

"I'm good, thanks. I see that you have brought someone else along." Alec smiled gently at Tessa, who shrank back. Alec didn't blame her. He probably looked terrifying. It was a miracle that Max wasn't scared stiff of him.

"Yeh, this is Tessa, my little girl." She turned to Tessa. "This is your Uncle Alec, Tessie." She shrank back a little further. Clary sighed. "Sorry, she's a little shy."

"No problem, I wouldn't let anyone but Maryse near me at that age."

"_Mom_ wouldn't let me near anyone, was terrified. I thought you should see her though, because_ I_ am not overprotective and… well, she _is_ your goddaughter." Alec felt his eyes go wide.

"By the Angel we are on the same wavelength!"

"I know right!" Clary giggled. "Jace was hesitant, he complained about you not being here, but I told him to stop being stuck up. You had every right to leave, but that didn't mean that I didn't hold you in my heart. I still do. Secretly I think that he does as well." Alec's respect for Clary rocketed instantly at that.

"I'm glad that someone feels that way," He said, his smile suddenly faltering, "I didn't exactly enjoy that attack from my dear brother and sister yesterday." Clary's smile faltered too. Tessa was leaning against her mom with her eyes flicked shut and her thumb stuck in her mouth. Alec strongly suspected that she was asleep.

"Yeah, Jace told me about that. I was absolutely furious with him, he had no right! He was in half a mind to come today but I was having none of it. I thought you needed time to recover." His respect with her was through the roof and probably in the upper atmosphere by now. He half nodded at her.

At that moment the waitress came to take everyone's orders. Alec looked up and noticed that it was a small girl who looked about sixteen with dyed blonde hair (the roots were horrific), a small white blouse and pencil skirt, blue slippers and an almost feral smile plastered on her face. She must have been new in Taki's because Alec didn't recognise her and she didn't recognise him. Instead vision skated over him to Clary, who gave her a quick smile. So they must have known each other, as least to some extent.

"Heya, can I take your orders?" She said, notebook poised at the ready. She was holding the pen almost like a dagger over it. It was a little unnerving.

"Yeh, can I have the usual please Dolly?" Clary asked with a smile, not even touching the menu. Dolly nodded and scribbled something down. Then she turned her attention to Alec.

"For you, Sir?"

"Oh, just a mocha please." Normally he wouldn't touch the stuff but he was in a sweet mood. The waitress – Dolly – nodded again as she took it down. She looked a bit like her head was on a spring.

"Anything for the little one?" She directed at Clary. Clary turned to Tessa, who appeared to have woken up.

"Want anything sweetie?" Tessa shook her head nervously. Clary rubbed her back slightly. It looked so natural and caring it was almost unbelievable – but not quite. Alec had always known that Clary would be a brilliant mother. She was looking back up at Dolly.

"She's fine thanks."

"Okay." Dolly sauntered off back to the counter with notebook in hand like she was strutting down a catwalk. She was an odd one for sure, but at least she wasn't Kaelie. That bitch was yet another one on the list of people that he needed to avoid, that he could do without in his life.

"So how had life been Alec? _Where_ have you been?" She didn't sound harsh or demanding. She just sounded curious. Alec could deal with that.

"It's been good. I've been in California for the past eight years, basically. Thought about coming back a few times, but I never felt ready, and then I got offered a job and… well, it was a big job, as you can tell by the apartment. So I had to come." Clary nodded. What was it with people nodding today?

"So, what did you do whilst you were there?"

"Well, I worked in an architects firm, helping out. I got quite high up, but what I really enjoyed was writing columns – I used to for all of the local newspapers. I applied for a job with Idris Times and they accepted me. I'm now their main columnist." He smiled a little at that. Well, it was his dream come true.

"That is awesome, Alec! I am so happy for you!" Clary smiled as him reassuringly.

"Thanks. How's life been for you?" Clary sighed.

"Eventful. Obviously there has been Jace and Tessa, but… well, I've lost Luke and Mom, and there has been a massive fight between Izzy and your parents, so we've had to deal with that, and… well, everything has fallen apart since you left. Without you Jace and Isabelle have had strained relationships with your parents, Magnus – we haven't heard from him at all, and… yeah. Sometimes it feels like you were the only thing holding us all together."

"What happened to Luke and your Mom… are they?"

"They aren't dead. They moved to Azerbaijan. One of Mom's weird things. Haven't heard from them since. That was what, five years ago? Something like that."

"Oh, I'm sorry Clary."

"Don't be." She waved him off. "I got over it. If they really cared about me they would have got in touch." She saw the look on Alec's face. "Oh, God, Alec, I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that, I know you cared, I know it was different…"

"As long as you know that I still care deeply about you all." Clary took Alec's hand in hers.

"Of course I know that, Alec. You… well, you did just pack up and leave one night, but you had genuine reason too. Mom and Luke literally went with no word except a note which says 'we are off to Azerbaijan'." Alec nodded.

"It's okay."

At that point, Dolly came up and deposited their drinks. Alec took a sip, so did Clary and Tessa ate the little biscuits that came on the side slowly and methodically. Alec watched as she wiped a crumb from the little girl's mouth, remembered doing the same for Max all of those years ago. He was just growing out of that stage at the moment, getting to the point when it was embarrassing when his dad did that rather than normal. Clary noticed him smiling at her and laughed.

"What?" Alec shook himself out of his memories and thoughts.

"Nothing. I was just remembering things, that's all." Clary looked at him questioningly, and then it clicked.

"Oh, right, Max! Yeah, how did that happen?" Clary glared at him. "Come on, Alec." He gulped.

"Well, basically Magnus and I got totally pissed on my eighteenth in his gin stash, and we decided we wanted a kid. The next morning, we went and got a surrogate mother. Nine months later, Max and his brother arrived. Two days later, I was off with him. And now, exactly eight years later yesterday, we are back. That's it. Well, it's a lot more complicated than that, but it's the gist." Clary was gaping at him.

"Wait, he is Magnus's kid? And there were two?" Alec blushed.

"Yeah, and yeah." She gasped at him.

"Who is the other one? What is he called? Why did you leave when you had only just got them?" She seemed almost angry.

"Okay, for starters I tried to fix things between Magnus for the boys, but he insisted that the best thing was for us to be over, told me we were over and told me to leave. And I have no idea. We had just brought them home. I don't know if Magnus kept him, whether he gave him up for adoption, what. Hell, I don't even know his name. All I know is that I argued as much as I could to give them stability and two parents but Magnus refused to believe that we could fix things, refused to believe there was any other option. Maybe it was the best for them. But I can never know if it would have worked out any other way, and I can never know, because I can't change the past. I can regret why we broke up though." Clary had put a hand over her mouth.

"I seriously should keep my mouth shut, shouldn't I?" Alec laughed, eager to lighten the mood.

"Maybe you should. Can we just move off of the topic now, just have fun?" Clary smiled.

"Sure."

* * *

><p><em><strong>Okay, I know that it is short, but I think enough said for the moment.<strong>_

_**Lu xxx**_


	8. Nerves And Coincidences

_**Hiiiii (waves white flag). I've been busy, okay, with general nonsense and exams and rereading and rereading all of the TMI TID TBC books ready for COHF. Enjoy! Xxx**_

* * *

><p>Alec walked beside Max down the street, clutching the little boy's hand. Max was probably a bit old to be doing so, but Alec had noticed how nervous and quiet he had appeared that morning during breakfast and how much he had been shaking as he had put on his jacket, so as soon as they had left the lobby of the apartment he had extended his right hand out towards his son, who had grabbed onto it like it was the only thing stopping him from falling into a pit of magma.<p>

It was Monday – Max's first day at his new school. Bad for anyone, but Max hated new people, especially in large quantities, especially people his own age and especially on his own with a passion – it freaked him out no end. He had managed back in California because he had grown up around everyone, and had known most people in most situations – the town that they had lived in had been quite small. But New York – well, it was huge, Max would be on his own with people who had known each other for a long time. It was probably going to be horrible for him. So Alec was making allowances.

They rounded the corner, Max hopping about on the paving stones in a way that caught Alec's eye slightly. He was probably just fidgety because he was nervous. The school was just up the road from here, and Max tensed noticeably; his hand so tight on his dad's that it was almost like he was trying to break the bones of them. Alec squeezed his hand back in a way that was meant to be reassuring, and looked up to see that they had arrived at the double gates into the school. He gave Max one more squeeze and then they walked through together.

* * *

><p>Max was terrified. His dad had walked him into the principal's office, and the adults had had a chat, and then Max had been shown to his classroom by a woman in heels the size of stakes and sat in a corner at the back of the room. He had hidden his hands in his shirt and was glancing around nervously as the room gradually filled up with other kids, chatting and laughing with each other. Thank God no one seemed to have noticed him – they were all too interested in each other, and no one was sitting on the back row yet, whether it was because he was the only one, or they hadn't arrived yet, or they were off with their mates, Max didn't know. He just sat there waiting for the day to start so that he could get it over and done with.<p>

Eventually the bell went off and then the room really flooded with people rushing to their seats before the teacher walked in, placing a laptop and a pile of papers on his desk that looked messy and unorganised in the same way that he did. He had slightly crooked glasses perched on his nose, his curly brown hair flying all over the place. His shoulders remained a little stooped even as he stood up, a blue checked shirt open over a white tee. He looked very friendly. He turned to face the class, a crooked smile plastered across his face and eyes sparkling, and that was when Max decided that he liked him.

His new teacher rubbed his hands together and walked to the front of the class. His gaze shifted over everyone, staying slightly longer on Max before wandering off again.

"Morning guys, so first of all I'd like to introduce a new member to our class, okay so could we all be welcoming to…"

Max's eyes had widened in fear when he had realised that this new teacher was going to introduce him in front of everyone and that he was going to get a load of weird looks and comments later on. He tensed his fist under the desk, and then…

And then the classroom door burst open and a boy stumbled in, breathing heavily, his black hair messy and falling over the place. The new teacher whipped his head around and turned to look at him as the boy placed his hands on his black skinny jeans. He raised his face to look at the teacher and Max gasped. Bright blue eyes looked straight up at the man, sparkling – literally sparkling – and laughing. He seemed familiar, and then it hit Max. It was Will. His dad had sent him to the same school as Will. Maybe this day wasn't going to be as bad as he had first thought. Especially since the new teacher seemed to have forgotten about announcing the arrival of Max and was concentrating his efforts on the late arrival of Will.

"William Bane, late already! It's only the first day of term! Dear lord…"

The teacher didn't seem angry really, just a little bit exasperated, as if this was a regular occurrence. Thinking about it, it probably was.

"Sorry Mr Garroway." Will waved a hand carelessly, still panting, "Dad was working this morning and kinda forgot what time it was."

The teacher – Mr Garroway – sighed and shook his head, pushing his glasses back up his nose – they had been looking very precarious. He gestured towards the desks.

"Just sit down Will. And try to remind your dad what time it is tomorrow."

"Thanks Sir."

Will smirked and walked down the middle of the desks. Max quickly scanned the room, and saw that the only free desk was the one right at the back next to him. Mr Garroway had gone back to talking about something else that appeared to be totally random, but Max wasn't listening – he was watching Will make his way towards the desk. His eyes were on the floor, and as he approached the back, he started pulling his bag off of his shoulder and lifted his head up. His eyes that had previously looked happy were filled with a sort of worry and sadness that seemed familiar to Max, but he couldn't quite place where from.

And then the sad eyes locked with Max's, and widened. Will dropped his bag to the floor by his desk and slid onto the chair, leaning over to Max.

"Max? I thought you lived in California!" He whispered.

"I did." Max replied simply.

"Then why are you here?"

"Turns out Dad got a job in New York and we are gonna be living here."

"Neat! And then you come to my school? Well, life isn't fun without coincidences." Max narrowed his eyes.

"Dad says that. All the time." Will raised his eyebrows.

"I've never heard anyone but me and my dad say it. Well…"

"Life isn't fun without coincidences!"

They both said it; a bit too loudly. Mr Garroway broke off from what he had been saying and glared at Will, the slightest hint of annoyance written across his features. And yet still he clearly wasn't angry. He seemed strange, but Max didn't really mind. In fact, he much preferred strange people. They were always more interesting. Though sometimes a bit creepy.

"Really Will? First you're late, and now you're disrupting the class?" His eyes shifted over to Max. "Oh sorry Max. Guys, that's Max, he's new. "

And he carried on speaking, and that was it. Nobody looked at him – well a few people turned around to get a quick glance, but nothing more than that. Mr Garroway completely ignored the two of them chatting after that, clearly giving up after the fifth or maybe sixth time he had tried to shut them up, seeing it as a lost cause. The day after that was great. Will dragged Max everywhere after him, despite the fact that he was clearly very popular and had people falling over themselves to hang out with him.

When the end of the school day came, Max was about to follow the rush of people eager to get out of the classroom when he realised that Will wasn't next to him. He turned around to see that Will was still in his seat, slumped against the back and fiddling with something between his fingers. He walked back towards the other boy with his hand on the strap of his bag.

"Hey, Will, aren't you coming?" Will looked up, but if he had looked startled he quickly covered it with a look of indifference.

"Nah. My dad's girlfriend can't pick me up for another half an hour at least."

"Oh." Said Max. "Is it like that every day?"

Will nodded.

"It's no big deal."

"Why can't your dad pick you up then?"

"Oh, he has to work late. He runs a magazine, so the hours can get a bit irregular."

"Ah. Well, I'll see you tomorrow then."

"Yep."

Max turned and walked out of the classroom and out into the courtyard. It was pretty much empty, and so he spotted his dad almost straight away, leaning against one of the pillars of the gate donned in a black trench coat and with a blue scarf wrapped around his neck that Max recognised from one of the photos in his dad's album. When he saw Max he smiled and waved.

"Hey. How was your day?" Max shrugged.

"It was alright."

"Just alright?"

"Well, quite good actually."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah, guess who is in my class?" His dad looked a bit confused.

"I have no idea."

"Will!"

"Will… is he that kid you said about that you met in the Institute?" Max nodded.

"Yeah. He's awesome."

"Well, I'm glad you made a friend." He ruffled Max's hair, and Max shook his head indignantly. "Come on, let's get home."

He took Max's hand, and they walked off down the road, heading towards the subway station. As they were heading down the tiled steps a woman with platinum blonde hair and bright red lips rushed past, wrapping a stylish black coat around her with what looked like talons. Max gazed after as she ran off, looking like she was in an awful hurry. His dad said something to him and he flipped his head around, instantly forgetting the face of the woman who had ruined his dad's life.

* * *

><p>Will was slumped against the wall of the school, waiting. He'd lied when he had told Max that Camille couldn't pick him up on time. She could, she just didn't, because she had no interest in him, not really, and only picked him up at all because Magnus had asked her too. The bitch hated him, but she put up with him because she wanted Magnus, for his money or for his looks Max didn't know. But she didn't love his dad. She lloked at him with want, but not love. She was just using him, and he was pretty sure she was going to leave his dad heartbroken as soon as she got what she was looking for. Max had long ago given up hope that Magnus would see sense, dump her and rid their lives of Camille. He was obviously smitten. Or attempting to be smitten. Max couldn't figure out which. With Magnus it was nearly impossible to tell. He was very guarded, his emotions very well hidden, which was why it scared Will so much when his emotions got the better of him, like they had the other day.<p>

He was rudely snapped out of his thoughts by a sharp tap on his shoulder. He looked up to see the smirking face of Camille looking down at him, as usual caked in makeup. She looked like she had been drinking blood again, her symbolic red lipstick plastered all over her lips, her nails splattered red, and a white scarf with dipped red ends. She really was a leeching vampire. A vampire who was leeching off of his father. He glared at her, and she glared back. The hatred was mutual.

"Come on then squirt."

She immediately turned and walked away, not even bothering to check if Will was following. He got up with a sigh and ran after her to catch up, his bag banging against his leg painfully – he had at least two hard back novels in there, and they dug in and hurt if they hit your leg in the right place with enough force. He walked close enough to her that he wouldn't lose her, but still kept his distance. He was pretty ashamed to be seen with her, but she was necessary if he didn't want to be stuck at school for god knows how long waiting for his dad. He could not wait until his dad deemed him old enough to get home by himself so that he could avoid this daily torture.

Will kept his silence with Camille on the subway, sitting a few seats down from her – today the train wasn't too full, so it was possible to do so without being separated from her entirely. That would be very bad, as she had the key to the apartment, and being stuck outside the apartment would probably be worse than being stuck outside the school, because there were more people likely to stab him there, and he wouldn't have an excuse to be out on the doorstep. Plus, if his dad got home and found him waiting, he would be pissed that he had walked away from Camille, but if Camille left him at school Magnus would more likely be pissed at her.

When they finally arrived at the apartment, Will dashed straight to his room without bothering to look at Camille and jumped onto his bed, slamming the door behind him, and pulled out a book. It was a copy of A Tale of Two Cities with an age faded, illegible inscription that had belonged to someone related to someone long ago. Basically, his dad had given it to him when he had realised that Will was really into books. Will opened it to the last page he had read and lost himself in the world, letting it take him away from the whole Camille situation and just forget things for a while.

* * *

><p><em><strong>So… what do you think? I'm sorry it's short; I have been really busy lately! Xxx Check out lifesabitchandthenyoureundea and whatsintheboxx, and love you Loverisapowerfulthingxx!<strong>_

_**Thanks to my beta, The High Warlock Of Dublin! Check her stuff out as well! She is awesome!**_

_**Thanks for reading xxxxxx**_


	9. Worlds

_**Here I am with another update for you!**_

_**hotlight10/Vic: I'm glad you are enjoying it and I'm glad you are sticking with it! I hope you like this chapter. xx**_

_**Malecylove: Thank you! I am pleased that you think so. Here is your update. xx**_

_**AsraStar: I am glad that you do. Here is your update. xx**_

_**Lu xxx**_

_**(reviews make me happy and update faster:p :3 )~~)**_

…

It had been a month since Max had joined his new school, and it was already like he had been there forever. It had helped that he had become best friends with Will in a matter of days, because Will was mega-popular and being best mates with him gave Max a load of friends (some of whom were awesome, some of whom were awful) and meant that people didn't give him any crap either. He was starting to really enjoy living in New York, and it was clear that his dad was as well – Max had never seen him so happy. He seemed to be sad as well, lost in memories, but as well as the sad memories he had good ones. And Max was seeing a lot more of Clary, and Tessa, although he hadn't really properly met his uncle, Jace, yet. Well, he'd seen him on that first day, but… but not properly.

School had just finished, and Max and Will were walking towards the end of the corridor outside to wait for their parents. Max's dad was going to be a bit late as well, and it was really hot outside, so they had decided to go and sit and read in the sun in the courtyard against the wall. Will had looked like he was glad to be getting some company.

Soon they were slumped down against the wall, legs sprawled out in front of them, the late afternoon sun soaking into their backs and warming up their t-shirts. It was peaceful like this, and a peace that both boys respected. After a while, Will leant over Max's shoulder.

"What're you reading then?"

Max didn't look up, but Will didn't really take offence. It was normal between the two.

"The Hobbit."

"Neat."

Will drew back and went back to his own book, which looked to be a comic today – Max wasn't surprised. He usually went through cycles, he'd said, and after reading a few 'heavier' books read a bit of Marvel. And he'd just finished reading Great Expectations. Which Max – and Will – considered to be very heavy.

After a while they both disappeared back into their own little worlds in their heads, Will hiding in his world of superheroes and monsters and Max doing much the same with small creatures with hairy feet and dwarves and wizards. It was nice like that, and to Max it felt like they were connecting, through their love of all things literary they shared a universe, even if they were in different worlds at the time.

Then there was a shout from across the courtyard.

"Hey, Will, over here."

"Hey Dad!"

Max heard Will get up beside him, scraping his bag along and off of the ground and walk a few paces away.

"Why did you come to pick me up too?"

…

Will walked over to where his dad was standing next to the bitch Camille, leaving Max sitting on the floor reading, his face covered by his long black hair falling in his eyes. Magnus looked extraordinarily happy, and so did Camille. He had extra glitter on today, black riveted combats and purple sparkled ripped jeans with a multicoloured tie dye slashed vest top and a punk leather blazer adorned with chains, multicoloured highlights that had obviously recent been redone and glitter _everywhere_. He looked like he did in the pictures of him before Will was born. And he looked just as carefree.

"Why did you come to pick me up?"

"Well, we have some very big news."

"Oh first can you meet my friend Max?"

"Uh…"

"Max, come over!"

Max didn't even look up, clearly deeply absorbed in his book, his eyes focussed intently. Will shrugged and turned back to his dad.

"Anyway, that's Max. He's very into his books like me."

Magnus nodded knowledgeably, and Camille just scowled, and then quickly smoothed her features into the happy look she had worn before.

"I see."

"Anyway, what is this news?"

Magnus took a deep breath and interlinked his hand with Camille's, his blue sparkly nails clashing with her unusually long red talons. Come to think of it, Camille's pampered paws looked entirely unusual, and something was very wrong, but he could not for the love of Iron Man work out what it was. Strange.

"Camille and I are getting married."

Sirens and flashes of red exploded in Will's head, a mix of panic and fear and hatred and concern and pure anger at his father's sheer stupidity. Images of what it would be like having Camille as his stepmother – no, his father's new wife, he refused to even consider her partially his mother – flashed through his brain, images of bruises and boarding schools and screaming matches and his father hating him and it was too much.

"What?"

He said in his best scary-calm voice.

"Camille is going to be your new mom."

Will exploded.

"She will never be my mom! She is a crazy, cruel, good for nothing bitch who is clearly just using you, but you don't seem to care because you have either been blinded by her or you just don't give a damn about love or I don't know! She hates me and she doesn't love you! I will hate you forever if you marry her, I would rather be adopted than live with her as my mother!"

Magnus looked hurt. Camille reached out a hand, fake concern written on her features.

"Will, that's really no true! I know that this is a bit of a shock, and I know I'm not your mom but…"

"No, you're not! But you both seem adamant that you should be! Is that why you never told me who she was? Because you reckoned you could just bring Camille in to take her place?"

Magnus looked upset and angry, but it didn't seem to be directed at Will or EVEN Camille or anyone in particular.

"Will, you don't have a mom!"

Will took a step back.

"What?"

Camille for once looked taken aback, and Magnus put his head in one of his hands, pinching the bridge of his nose and turning away slightly.

"Just forget it, Will."

"No, no, what do you mean?"

Camille had wisely decided to keep her trap shut, and backed away slightly.

"You don't have a mom. Not really. I mean, you have a mother who gave birth to you but…"

"But what?"

"But you weren't related to her. She was a surrogate."

"A surrogate?"

"Yeah."

"So who do I have if I don't have a mom then?"

"Will can you please just forget all about it, okay, it's no big deal…"

"No big deal! No big deal, I don't have a mom, well not a real one anyway, what other lies have you been telling me? Do I have grandparents? Other relatives? Uncles, aunts, cousins? Do I have a sibling? Am I adopted? What other lies have you been telling me, Dad?"

"William Bane, calm down now!"

"Why should I listen to anything you say when you have been lying to me all of my life and you are marrying a bitch who hates me?!"

"Camille does _not_ hate you!"

"Of course she does, why else is she late to pick me up every day, why else does she slap me when you aren't around, why else does she scream at me and tell me to shut up whenever I talk about you two?"

"Will…"

"And worst still, you don't love her. You pretend you do, I think you fool yourself as well, but you think you are in love with her but secretly you are only with her as a distraction form something else and someone else! I have seen you on that same day every year Dad, the day you called the anniversary, and it is very clear that you are still ridiculously hung up on whatever happened then!"

"William Bane!" Camille shrieked. "Don't you _dare _bring it up to your father! It is none of your business what happened, what you father did and had done to him before you were born! You have no right…"

But Camille was cut off.

"And neither do _you_, Camille."

Magnus spoke in an awful, barely audible whisper that sent shivers up Will's spine. It was terrifying.

"I'm sorry?"

"You have no right to talk about what happened. After all, it was partially your fault."

"How was it _my _fault?!"

"How _wasn't _it, Camille? You were manipulative and evil; you practically forced me sometimes to see you, even though you knew how serious I was with… in that relationship, and then you were half the reason it broke down, half the reason why Will won't ever see his other…"

Magnus broke off. Camille was staring at him evilly, her eyes glinting, and her teeth sharp and shining in the sun.

"Other _what_? Are you too scared to tell him? Or shall I?"

"Why Will won't ever see his other father."

Everything went silent. Will looked over for his shoulder for a moment; Max was still reading peacefully, apparently oblivious. Even the birds had stopped singing, and the traffic seemed miles off, not just on the other side of the wall. Will turned back to his father, whose eyes were filled with worry and despair, and his mind went blank, whiteness swirling around his head, his vision turning blurry, a high pitch buzzing somewhere softly in the background as he tried to process what his father had just told him. He blinked a couple of times, until he felt able to speak without passing out of throwing up. Magnus was talking to Camille hurriedly.

"Camille, go back to my apartment now please, and…"

"Are you breaking up with me?"

"No." He sounded exasperated. "I just need some time with Will alone, and I think we need to have a serious conversation later, all three of us. But can you give me some time with my son first, please?"

Camille looked a bit annoyed, but not overly, and just nodded and flounced off in the usual regal way. Will was glad to see the back of her, if only for a little bit. His dad turned back to him, looking concerned.

"Will, I'm so sorry you had to find out like that…"

Will rushed forward and wrapped his arms around Magnus. At first he seemed a little shocked, but then he gripped Will back. Will found a tear running down his cheek.

"Thanks for telling me, Dad."

Magnus didn't say anything in response, but he pulled Will a bit closer, and Will could tell that he was crying. His chest was racking slightly. It was terrifying, but he was just pleased to know that his dad still cared about him. Sometimes, with Camille around he was unsure, and it was horrible that feeling, that maybe he didn't matter much to anyone.

"Of course you do, Will, of course you do. Don't let Camille make you think that. You will always be one of the most important people in my life. Always. Nothing will ever change that."

Will realised that he had said all of that out loud, but he wasn't embarrassed at all. If anything, it was more reassuring to hear his dad say those words out loud, when he was in such as state, and know that there was no way that they weren't true.

Suddenly Magnus tensed, and Will turned around to see what he was looking at.

…

Max had been totally absorbed in his book, trying to block out the shouting. There was clearly some sort of argument going on between Will and his dad and that other woman who he presumed to be Will's dad's girlfriend or fiancé or something. It sounded serious, so he guessed that the polite thing to do would be to not listen and try to ignore it – even if it was hardly private in an almost public place when anyone could hear what was going on.

The shouting was escalating and falling again constantly, fluctuating like the waves in the sea, but getting more and more turbulent as time went on. It got increasingly unnerving, and Max was worried that he was going to have to walk off in a moment to stop himself from screaming in frustration. Then all of the sudden, it became deadly quiet, nearly silent, rising in a short crescendo again before suddenly there was nothing. It was like the world was copying this too; the traffic seeming quieter, the sounds of just people dying down to fade to nothing. It was very peculiar, and Max hated it almost as much as he had hated the raised voices. A shiver ran down his spine.

After a few seconds there were voices talking normally, and then the clack of heels on the floor. Max looked up to see a pair of blood red stilettos stomp past, clearly angry but trying to control it. He supposed that it was Will's dad's bitch of a girlfriend, who Will clearly hated. She had probably been the one to cause all of the problems – it seemed the most likely thing to have happened, especially since he was pretty sure that from what he _had _heard before he had shut himself out that the two had just got engaged, which Will would definitely not been happy about. Oh dear. Well at least she was storming off. That had to be a good thing, at least for Will, right?

Then there was the short sound of footsteps, stopping as soon as they had started, and the sound of sort of hushed voices, and what appeared to be… sobbing? Maybe? Max wasn't sure but he stayed determinedly in his book, even though his eyes were skidding over the pages and he just wasn't absorbing any of the words, couldn't focus on the story. He just couldn't distract himself from the voices, the sounds. It was awful. No matter how much he stared at the page, no matter how hard he concentrated, the words would not speak; they wouldn't seep into his brain. He hated moments like this, when even his escape pod wouldn't detach from the main craft, when he was stuck in these awful situations with absolutely no way out, just a lot of sealed doors. Until his dad got here.

As if on cue he felt a hand on his shoulder, one so familiar it could have just as well been his own.

"Hey Max, time to go."

Max began to look up towards his dad, and felt him freeze. His deep blue eyes were glassy, fixed on something. He looked like he was about to cry. Max turned to follow his gaze. And his eyes widened.

…

_**So… what do you think?**_


	10. How It Feels Now

_**Heya guys! Another update for you! Because I am into it!**_

_**Nisandfeline: Half of that will be happening in this chapter. Enjoy! xx**_

_**MissNena214: I've kinda put how they are feeling in this, but the story is going to progress slowly and not just jump straight back to Malec. But I have a plan. xx**_

_**D: Your next chapter, soon! My parabatai is my friend like that. Go lifesabtichandthenyoureundead - check her out. xx**_

_**hotlight10: I thought so too. xx**_

_**Lu xxx**_

* * *

><p><em>Max began to look up at his dad, and felt him freeze. His deep blue eyes were glassy, fixed on something. He looked like he was about to cry. Max turned to follow his gaze. And his eyes widened.<em>

It was Magnus. It was Magnus exactly as he had been in all of the photos, his hair colourful and sparkly and spiked up to the max. He looked exactly as he had always done, kinda colourful and sparkly and punk and Goth all at once, his eyes encased in blue glittery eyeliner, his jeans sparkling and very very purple, the tongues of his combats hanging loose over the top, chains hanging round his neck, multiple piercings climbing up the cartilage in his ear. He looked fabulous and brilliant and everything he had ever imagined. He was also staring at Alec like he had seen a ghost. Alec was looking at him in the same way. And Will just looked confused, and oblivious.

"Max, we're going."

"Dad, that's Will."

"Come _on_, Max!"

"Dad, that's _Will_, my best friend!"

"What? Max…"

"_Will_ is my brother. _Will_."

"Max, come on _now_. _Please!_"

Alec was shaking beside him. He grabbed Max's hand and pulled him after him, and the boy saw that he was crying hard now, tears streaking down his face at an alarming pace. Max could see that he had been seriously shaken by the whole thing – well, who wouldn't be? Seeing the father of your kid, the man you had been in love with, the man you had loved beyond everything after all those years, after the most painful break up possible. Talk about reopening a wound. The tab to his dad's chest had been brutally torn open, and an entire bucket of salt had been poured in. And he'd seen the other son that he hadn't seen for eight years, the son who he hadn't seen since he was two years old. Alec had seen those eyes for the first time. And he had learnt Will's name. Max had told him Will's name. Will was his brother.

_Will was his twin brother._

And it finally hit him. He'd known it, but it hadn't sunk in before. It hit him hard like a freight train, knocking the wind out of him as the two of them stumbled into the apartment building – how they had got back Max had no idea – and he honestly didn't know he managed to stay on his feet. He had known his _twin brother _without even realising who he was. His brother, his brother, his brother. The brother that he had never expected to even catch a glimpse of in his life. The brother who seemed lost to fate. The brother that he'd longed about since he'd known about him. He felt the tears on his own face fall, the comprehension attacking him hard. As soon as he got into his bedroom he collapsed onto the floor, his head in his hands, shaking, trying to work it out. If that was possible. It was making his head explode, it was awful but it was brilliant, and it just… Max just couldn't comprehend it. It was too difficult to.

* * *

><p>Will was just plain confused.<p>

His dad, already crying, as soon as he had seen Max's dad had just lost it.

It was strange.

They had wandered back home in silence, a rift seeming to drift between them, as if Magnus was thinking about something that Will really couldn't comprehend or know about. When Will asked what was up, Magnus had just said that the whole argument had really upset him, and that he wished that Will would just accept Camille because she was making him happy, couldn't he see? It was almost as if he didn't want him to be happy. That had shut Will up pretty fast, and he wasn't sure if he believed it, but it made him feel truly rotten. Truly rotten.

When they walked in through the door, Camille was sitting at the island in the kitchen, reading a magazine. She had looked up and started to say something, but Magnus had just ignored her, wandering into his bedroom and slamming the door behind him _very _hard, so hard that Will was surprised that he hadn't broken the hinges of it and made it fall off. He heard several loud thumps and a couple of cracks before everything fell silent. Deadly silent.

"Will, what happened."

"Nothing."

"Will!"

"I said _nothing_!"

He stalked off to his own room, slamming the door shut and collapsing against it in tears. He had upset everyone, he had upset his dad. He'd _really _upset his dad, had made him snap and do goodness knows what else. And he was going to have to live with Camille, he knew it. From what his dad had been saying on the way back home, he was serious. He was going to marry Camille, and nothing was going to stop him, nothing was going to stop the wedding. There was no reason for them not to apart from Will's hatred of Camille, and no one would take that as a serious request to stop everything. And then he would have to forever hold his peace. Great. Well, even if he put up with Camille, he would never love her, and she would _never _be his step mom. He had never had a mom, and he didn't need one. He had a dad that loved him – even if he 'loved' Camille as well, and he had another dad somewhere out there that he was going to find when he was old enough and his dad had told him who he was.

But his dad would never tell him, would he? Will was terrified that his dad hated him now. He had obviously upset him badly. Had he pushed him too far? Had he pushed him over the edge?

All Will knew was that now there was nothing to stop him from sending him away, and shoving him out of his life forever.

* * *

><p>Magnus felt as if he was dying. He felt as if his heart had been ripped out of his chest.<p>

He felt as if the life was leaving him slowly, bleeding out of his chest.

The afternoon had destroyed him.

It had started off brilliantly. He had finally had the guts to propose to Camille. He hadn't been sure if he wanted it, but he felt that in this case it was just necessary to jump in, go for it, and see how it turned out. And she had beamed at him, truly happy, no manipulation from her, just the real Camille. And that was when he felt that it was right. There was no deception in the look, just pure joy. He had uncovered who Camille really was beneath the bitch. He intended to keep her like this. This was the Camille he… he…

And then everything had gone wrong.

He had thought that Will would be happy to have a mom in his life, he had thought that he would be excited, and he had thought that he would be happy for his dad. Wrong, wrong and wrong. Apparently not. He had basically told him how much he hated Camille, how he would never accept he, and that he thought his dad was an idiot for… for getting engaged to her.

And then, somehow, Will had got ranting about not having a mom, and how Camille would never fill that position. And of course then he had snapped, especially so soon after the anniversary, all of the feelings had been so raw and fresh again, and had stung him. And he'd made that mistake of bringing up that one phrase that had broken the carefully maintained image he had built around Will. Will had found out that he had another dad, not a mom, not really. And he had started shouting at Camille, which he now regretted. It had been awful. He had just been lucky that he hadn't brought up Alec's name, or Will's brother.

And then, as he had kind of sorted out why Will was upset, as he had held him whilst they both got a bit emotional, as he had reassured Will that he loved him – _of course he loved him, he would __**never **__stop_ – it had picked up a bit.

And then…then.

He had realised who Will's new best friend was. Who he _really _was. He knew his name. He knew that his other son was called Max. Obviously. He would obviously be named after _his _late younger brother. Will and Max. Quite a pair. Just a pair who didn't know what kind of a pair they really were. Though he had his doubts about Max. The way he had looked at Magnus… it was possible that he knew he was. And that scared him.

And then…

And then…

Alec.

* * *

><p>Alec could not do it.<p>

He could not.

It was too much to bear.

He was slumped on the floor by the sofa, his head in his hands, sobbing uncontrollably into them, terrified and lost and lonely, the re awoken pain ripping him apart hard. It was as if he was dying but he was being forced to live, as if he was burning, his bones were melting and fire was coursing through his veins and yet it refused to kill him, it made him live on through it bearing it, and he couldn't, didn't want to live through it. He had to for Max, but he didn't know if he could cope. Not in the slightest.

Seeing Magnus had broken him, had broken his heart all over again. And… and seeing… Will, Max had called him… it had been like a slap in a face. He should have been there for him as he was growing up, should have seen him grow up, should have been his father as well as Magnus as he was growing up. He should have fought Magnus harder. But he had, hadn't he? Magnus just hadn't listened. He hadn't seen Alec's reasoning, had only believed in his reasoning. Well, look where Magnus's reasoning had gotten them. All four of them broken and lost. Fun. Perfect. Just the life he wanted for his children. Just the life he wanted for himself.

The tears wouldn't stop flowing, wouldn't stop plaguing him, wouldn't stop letting the emotions run down his face. His son. His only love. He has lost them, and now he had found them. But were they really the same as he had left them? With Magnus he had no idea - he had a way of changing with the wind, ever changing, ever shifting. It had made Alec love him, but it may just have made him disappear further from him. And he had no way of knowing what Will was like. He had left him as a baby, so of course he wouldn't know how he had changed, what he was like, who he was now.

He didn't know his son.

He wished he did, but he didn't.

It broke him. It really did.

Why did his life have to be like this?

Why couldn't love have been enough for them?

* * *

><p><em><strong>There you are!<strong>_

_**Lu xxx**_


	11. Distracting

_**Okay, another chapter for you.**_

_**AsraStar: I am pleased you do. Here is your update xx**_

_**Torchwood and The Doctor: okay, so not **_yet _**but I have a plan, don't you worry. And I am updating soon, and this chapter – maybe no happy exactly, but not horribly sad. Probably. xx**_

* * *

><p>Alec was just sort of recovering slightly – he had gotten up off of the floor, and was sat on the floor with his knees curled up to his chest, his arms hugging his legs, trying to control his breathing. He was trying to think about things logically, but it wasn't really working. Eventually he started to have some coherent thoughts, but even when each though was clear they were muddled up together making his head feel like it was going to explode. He needed a distraction. Anything to keep his mind of Magnus and Will. Anything. Anything at all.<p>

Just then, his phone rang. He looked at the caller ID, breathed in for a moment, and pressed the answer button.

"Hey Clary."

He sniffed. He probably sounded absolutely pathetic, but he really didn't care. Not one bit.

"Hey, um, Alec, are you okay?"

"Yeah, no, I'm fine, um, what were you calling for?"

"Oh, right yes, I was kinda wondering if you and Max wanted to come over for dinner tonight with us ."

"Um sure."

"_All_ of us."

"Yes…"

"As in Jace too."

"Oh, no that's fine."

"Really?"

"I think it's probably time I tried to speak to him again. He is my brother."

"Okay, well I'll see you over here at say five?"

"Yep, sounds good."

"Bye Alec."

"Bye Clary."

A distraction. Perfect. Now all he needed to do was tell Max. Oh shit. Max.

Alec wandered over to Max's bedroom door, standing outside it silently. Quiet sobs were coming from inside, the sounds of sniffing and tears. Alec knocked softly on the door with the back of his hand before twisting the knob gently and pushing the door quietly inwards. Max was leant against the wall with his head in his hands, crying desperately into his arms. He looked lost. Not broken, just very lost and confused and scared. Alec walked over to him and sat down beside his son, wrapping his arms around him.

"Hey Max."

No response. Max just leant into his dad, burying his face into Alec's chest as he sobbed.

"I know its hard Max, and I'm sorry you had to see Magnus in the way you did. I honestly had no idea. And I'm sorry you had to find out about Will like that too."

Max looked up at his dad. His eyes were large and red and puffy.

"I'm not sad because I saw them. It was just a bit of a shock…and…and it was hard realising who Will was, and…and seeing…seeing the dad I never thought I'd know…"

Alec held Max close again, stroking his hair gently.

"I know, I know. But hey, good news."

Max looked up again.

"What?"

"We're going to dinner at Aunty Clary's tonight."

"Really?"

"Yep. And you are going to get to meet your Uncle Jace."

"But I thought you and Uncle Jace didn't like each other and shouted at each other all of the time?"

"No, we don't. We were just both very angry and upset. Before you were born we got on very well."

"So was it my fault you fell out?"

"No, absolutely not. It was a lot of things. But not you. Okay?"

Max nodded.

"Right, shall we both get cleaned up? We have to be there by six and it is now…" Alec looked down at his watch. "Five. Damn."

Max groaned. Alec laughed.

"Okay, come on mister."

He grabbed the boy's hand and pulled him up after himself, dragging him to his feet.

"Right, I'm going to have a shower now, and so should you. Put on something nice, and I shall meet you in the lounge at half five. Deal?"

"Deal."

Alec laughed and ruffled Max's hair before leaving his bedroom and shutting the door behind him. He didn't exactly know if Max was feeling okay, but he was just going to have to go with it and hope that seeing Clary and Jace would cheer him up a bit. And he had taken a liking to Tessa almost immediately, playing with her and making her laugh all of the time. Clary had been quite pleased, Alec reckoned, to see the two of them get along so well. She had also expressed her desire for the two of them to get on well with their new cousin, who would be born in only a couple of months now. At that Alec had turned a bit icy and Clary had quickly changed the subject.

He had a shower and then quickly donned a pair of black jeans and a white tshirt with a chequered blue shirt over the top. He had taken some influence from Magnus all of those years ago and now knew how to dress properly – well, not properly, just slightly less shabby like he had always done. He wandered out into the lounge, doing up the cuff buttons as he did so, to see Max already waiting nervously in jeans and a plain black tee. He looked really cute.

"Right let's go for this family reunion."

Max nodded and grabbed onto Alec's hand.

* * *

><p>When they arrived Tessa was sat making a mess in a high chair and Clary was running around the kitchen like some sort of demented beast, her shockingly red hair flying out of its messy bun and making a halo around her head. She looked up and smiled when she saw Alec and waved him over, opening the oven and releasing a cloud of suspicious looking smoke into the already humid air.<p>

"Heya Alec, um, slight change of plan…"

She sounded nervous at him. This would not be good.

"What?"

He sighed, not coldly.

"Um, Izzy is kinda coming too. With her husband, Simon. He's awesome. You'll like him."

She was trying to divert the subject. No. Not happening.

"Izzy's coming!"

"You aren't mad, are you?"

"No, I just wish you'd told me Clary."

He said exasperatedly, pinching the bridge of his nose. He looked and saw that Max was already messing about with Tessa again, her mad blonde hair flying everywhere just like her mom's.

"Any more nasty surprises?"

Clary bit her lip.

"Clary."

"None of them know that you are coming."

She squeaked.

"Shit. Clary, why didn't you tell them?!"

"I didn't want everyone to get all flustered before!"

"Clary, if you don't call them _now_, it is going to go to hell in a hand basket in here when they arrive."

"But they are all getting here in like, two minutes!"

"Two minutes warning is better than no warning at all."

Clary sighed, and was just pulling out her phone when there was a knock on the door.

"And that is Izzy and Simon. I'll ring Jace, just let me get the door. I'm sorry, Alec. I guess…"

"Clary, it doesn't matter, honestly. And anyway, it is Jace I'm worried about."

She nodded.

"I'll text him."

She pulled out her phone; tapping on it furiously as she made her was over to the door.

It creaked open, and there they were. Izzy, now getting pretty huge, wearing a green dress that she still looked stunning in and Ugg boots – thank the Lord that she had seen sense and was wearing comfy shoes now. Next to her was a tall man who looked like someone who started off scrawny and then grew up. He had slightly crooked glasses, slightly curling chocolate brown hair and soft, laughing brown eyes. He was wearing a superhero tshirt and jeans, and hands stuck in his pockets. He didn't seem like Izzy's type, but then again, she did have a habit of being unpredictable. Izzy. Izzy, who was staring at him with shock with her beautiful dark brown eyes.

"Alec."

She whispered.

"Hey, Iz."

He raised a hand to her.

"I didn't know that you would be here too."

"Yeah, Clary forgot to tell everyone."

Clary shrugged her shoulders and blushed slightly. Suddenly the air was filled with smoke.

"Oh, shit, the food, um make yourselves comfy guys!"

And she rushed back to the kitchen.

Izzy just stared at Alec.

Then she rushed forward, as fast as she could given her state, and wrapped him in a massive hug.

"Alec, I am so, so sorry about what we said, we were so stupid, and you were right, and…"

Izzy, _Isabelle Lightwood/whatever this guy's last name was_, was on the verge of hysteria.

Well, she was pregnant.

"Iz, it's fine. Don't worry. And to be fair, I should have told you I was leaving."

She smiled at him.

"We're good then?"

"Of course."

"Right, I'm going to go sit down, it's too tiring standing up for this long."

Alec laughed and watched her as she sat down. Turning his gaze back he realised that Simon had walked over and was shifting around awkwardly. He held out his hand.

"Hey. I'm Simon, Simon Lewis. I'm Izzy's…"

"Husband, yeah I heard. Congratulations."

He took Simon's outstretched hand warmly.

"I'm Alec, her brother."

"She speaks really highly of you, you know. I think what she said the other day was just everything that had accumulated over the last few years coming out all at once."

"Yeah, I think so too. Hey, it's nice to meet you."

"You too."

Suddenly Alec remembered that they hadn't met Max.

"Oh, Iz, Simon, you'd better come and meet Max. Max, come over here!"

Alec and Simon moved to sit over by Izzy on the couches, Simon next to her and Alec on the opposite sofa. Max came over nervously and sat next to his dad.

"Max, this is your Aunty Izzy and your Uncle Simon. Simon, Izzy, this is Max, my son."

Max looked at Izzy and cocked his head to the side.

"So, you are Dad's sister?"

He asked.

"Yep. Sure am."

"And you're the one who's having my new cousin?"

"Yep."

He turned his gaze to Simon.

More specifically, his tshirt.

"Superman! Cool!"

"Ah, you into your superheroes then?"

Max nodded enthusiastically, and soon the two of them were locked in a debate as to which superhero was best, Superman or Thor from the Avengers. Max was winning with Thor and Simon was looking pretty impressed at how well he was arguing.

"He sure is convincing!"

He said to Alec, who laughed – he had been telling Izzy all about what had been going on in Claifornia.

"Yep. He rarely argues with anyone, but when he does, he always wins. It can be a pain sometimes."

Max just grinned and all of them laughed.

A few minutes later Clary came over and joined them, passing around wine.

"So, Iz." She said, slumping down next to Max, "What gender is the little one?"

Izzy smiled.

"We're having a boy."

Clary just squealed in excitement.

"Any ideas on names yet?"

Asked Alec. Simon answered.

"Well, Iz wanted Max, but it appears that has already been taken-"

Max grinned again.

"-so we were thinking maybe James."

Everyone nodded in agreement that this was indeed a good name.

"When's he due?"

Asked Alec.

"About a month and half I think they said, right, Si?"

"Yep. A month a half and you get your first nephew to go with your beautiful niece."

Simon nodded his head towards Clary, who smiled.

Just then the door burst open and in rushed Jace, throwing a leather jacket over a hook by the frame.

"Sorry I'm late…"

He froze.

"Okay, Clary, why didn't you tell me Alec was coming."

"Guess he didn't get that text."

Clary said.

"Woops?"

Jace looked at her furiously, and then glared at Alec before turning to stare at Max with a gaze that Alec doubted even Clary could read. His mouth dropped open slightly.

Well, he did tell Clary to tell Jace. He did tell her to call him.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Sooo? What do you think?<strong>_

_**Lu xxx**_


	12. And So It Begins

_**Another chapter my dears! **_

_**Please review! They make me excited and then I want to update faster for you!**_

_**MissNena214: I have a plan, and I know it is hard, but stick it out for a couple more chapters, because it won't work if I rush it. Xxx**_

_**AsraStar: Thank you and here you are! Xxx**_

_**Hotlight10: I know, I think I was just trying to get across the shock of the whole situation. But Max and Will are gonna have a chat this chapter or maybe next. Xxx**_

_**Guest: Your review made me smile! As above, this chapter or the next. Xxx**_

_**Lu xxx**_

…

Jace had locked himself in the bathroom.

He had stalked off almost immediately, shaking his head and looking very pale. Alec and Clary had followed him and left Izzy and Simon to converse in hushed voices and Max to play with Tessa again. They were standing outside the door now, Clary desperately trying to persuade Jace to come out and Alec listening quietly and trying to act as if he wasn't there. So far Clary hadn't been able to get out of Jace the reason why he couldn't just come out and grit his teeth.

"…come on Jace, its only dinner…"

"Clary, please just leave it."

"I won't! You two need to talk! You are brothers for goodness sake!"

"I know!"

"Then why can't you come out of the flipping bathroom!"

"I just can't!"

"Why?"

"I just can't."

"Jace… oh please stop being so silly, if you can't explain then just come out!"

"Clary…"

"No, _Jace_!"

"Clary, I can't put him through it!"

"What?"

"You should have seen his face after that… scene in Taki's. He hates me. And I really upset him. I really did, I hurt him badly. I can't face that, I can't do that to him…"

"Jace…"

Alec put up a hand to shush Clary.

"Jace, I don't care. I should probably have expected that reaction. I don't hate you. I could _never_ hate you. To be honest, if I was angry at anyone, it was Kaelie. We shouldn't have met like that. Just… please come out?"

There was the sound of the lock being slid back.

Jace peered around the edge of the door.

"Hey Alec."

"Hey Jace."

Alec pulled his brother into a hug.

…

Max had enjoyed the evening before. Aunty Izzy and Uncle Simon had been epic, especially Simon, who had talked to Max for ages about comics and superheroes and manga and all sorts. And Uncle Jace had been a hoot, messing about, teasing Clary, getting along like a house on fire with his dad and making the entire table burst out laughing several times before asking why what he had said was so funny. And it turned out that Clary could cook, despite the fact that she had nearly set fire to the kitchen four… no five times.

But now it was the next morning, and Max was terrified.

Because he was in school. Which meant seeing Will again. Will who was his brother, Will his twin brother. Will who had absolutely no idea about any of it.

The bell rang, Mr Garroway came in and everyone settled down. As usual, Will was late. Well, it was just an ordinary day for him. Nothing was special. Nothing was different.

"Right, morning everyone, first off…"

Will burst in. Max tensed.

"Sorry Mr Garroway, Dad wasn't home so I had to get a taxi here."

"Oh. Oh, okay."

Mr Garroway looked a little surprised, but didn't comment. He just gestured for Will to sit down and carried on talking about the school drama production or something like that. Nothing interesting. What was interesting was Will, walking over to sit down. He didn't seem to have his usual energy or enthusiasm, and he looked really down. He dropped his bag off his shoulder and slumped down into his chair and put his forehead onto his hands, his hair falling into his eyes, his shoulders sloped and dark rings under his puffy eyes. Eyes puffy from crying? Max didn't know. He wondered what had happened last night.

"Hey Will."

No response.

"Will? Will? Will are you okay?"

Nothing.

"_Will_."

Still nothing.

Max sighed and got down to filling in some stupid form that Mr Garroway had just dumped on the desk, no really paying attention to it properly. He was worried about Will – did he know? What had happened? Had something happened between him and Magnus, between Magnus and Camille, that had hurt him or someone else or what?

The first two hours of the day passed agonizingly slowly, Will still stuck in some sort of trance, completing worksheets and exercises but not really doing anything besides, just staring blankly ahead. He looked like he had just fallen out of bed after a sleepless night, bleary eyed. He just looked distant, as if he was thinking over something time after time after time, trying to make sense of something so confusing his brain couldn't even capture most of it, or so devastating that it was refusing to.

It was worrying.

Very worrying.

Eventually the bell went for break, and they all filed out of the classroom and into the corridor. Will was the last, dragging and scuffing his feet along the floor, his head down and his arms wrapped uncharacteristically around his torso. As he walked out of the door Max grabbed his arm and pulled the boy towards him. The corridor was pretty much empty, the others having disappeared outside. The boy turned slowly towards him, blinking, as if he hadn't really realised where he was or what was going on.

"What…?"

He said groggily.

"Um, are you alright, Will? You look a bit… rough. And you have been out of it all morning, and you had a _reasonable_ excuse as to why you were late."

Will rubbed the back of his neck with his hand.

"Um, I'm fine, it's just dad was a bit upset last night, and everything went a bit screwy."

"Oh. How come?"

"Well, I'm not sure exactly…"

Max raised an eyebrow.

"Well I do. You see, Camille and Magnus got engaged and I kinda screamed at my dad about it, and by the time we got home he was really upset, he basically said he reckoned I didn't want him to be happy. And now, they're still getting married but I'm pretty sure that they _both _hate me. And all because I had the nerve to upset my dad."

"Will, but… Will, it's not your fault."

"It is."

"It's not."

"And how so? I should have kept my mouth shut…"

"Will, it wasn't anything that you said…"

"I know what you're gonna say Max, that I shouldn't blame myself, but you don't know…"

"I do. I know exactly why he is upset. And it was _not_ because you didn't approve of his engagement to Camille."

"What?"

"I know for a fact it wasn't your fault, I know exactly what caused the sadness."

"Wha…how?"

"I just do."

"No, no Max I can tell, I know you. There's more to it than that. I _know_ there is. Just tell me, okay? I want to know, I want to find out what this absurd idea that you have in your head is. Or if you are just lying to try and make me feel better."

Max took a deep breath.

"Okay, but this is the truth, even though you won't believe it, any of it."

"Got it."

"Right, so you know that I have two dads. One I don't know in person, that I've never met, and one that I have? That I live with?"

Will nodded.

"And how I know about the other? His first name? What he looks like, everything, except who he is, where he is?"

Will nodded for a second time.

Max took another massive breath.

"Well…I do know where he is, who he is…"

Will just looked confused.

"How? Did your dad introduce you? Did they get back together? What?"

"No. Not exactly."

"Then how?"

"I saw him. I saw…I saw Magnus."

"Hey, that's my dads name…Max where is this going?"

"He's my dad too. He's my other dad."

Max just blurted it out, because he knew that if he didn't just do so, he was never going to be able to say it, and Will really deserved to know.

Will didn't answer.

"And… you're my twin brother."

Will blinked, clearly dumbfounded by everything he had just had to try and take in. After a few moments, he spoke

"Sorry, what?"

"I'm your brother."

"But…but that can't be true, I mean, my dad, he, I… why didn't he tell me?! Why didn't he tell me?! It can't be true, you're lying, it's not true."

"I'm sorry, Will, but I'm not. Can't you see? I look just like Magnus. And you look exactly like my dad, Alec. It's true. I'm sorry, but it is."

Will just stared for a moment, and then ran off down the corridor, his jacket flying behind him, combats clacking noisily on the tiles. He looked a bit like a fallen angel – or an avenging one. Max followed slowly in a walk, not too eager to catch up with his brother. That had been hard, telling him like that, especially as it had been the first thing he had had to say to him after he had himself found out. It hadn't been ideal.

So, he walked slowly, giving Will his time to try and take it in a bit, because he knew how hard it was to take in, how crazy it seemed, how hurtful and scary and strange it was to suddenly have knowledge like that thrust upon you. He followed in the vague direction Will had sprinted off in, trying to calm his breathing and heart rate, which had shot up in the past two minutes, knowing that in a moment Will would need him to lean on, in a moment who would want to talk, in a moment he would want answers… but for now he would want space.

Max walked outside, greeted by a burst of sunlight that was almost blinding, the screams and laughter of other children, the soft warm feeling of early autumn soaking into his skin. It would have been pleasant on any other day, but now all that mattered was helping Will through the whole thing. Max's eyes quickly scanned the courtyard, and spotted Will leaning against the wall, his arms wrapped around his knees, his eyes pressed against them, shaking softly. He looked awful – from the distance that Max was, he couldn't be sure, but he could have sworn that he had gone as white as a sheet.

He made his way over, but Will looked up and saw him, and walked off. He looked angry, and upset, and shaken, but in his eyes it was clear it wasn't really Max that had caused him to feel that way – well, not that Max had had to tell him. He looked furious that his dad hadn't said anything. No, _their_ dad. Magnus was also his dad. He needed to remember that. He just stayed absolutely frozen to the spot, his eyes fixed on Max as he made his way over.

"So… twins, huh?"

His voice was shaking slightly, but he kept himself at least a little composed.

"Yep. Twins."

"God, I never saw that coming. And… and how funny that it was my best friend of everyone that turned out to be my brother. We called each other blood brothers all of the time – turns out that we are literal blood brothers. I love coincidences."

"Me too. You aren't upset at me, are you, Will?"

"No… no just shocked, that's all."

"Hey Will…"

Will looked up again with big, big eyes, the big blue eyes that Max saw every morning and evening when he looked at his dad.

"Yeah?"

"Do you want to meet your other dad tonight?"

Will smiled up at him, nodding.

"I'd like that."

Max smiled back, offering a hand to Will, which he took.

They stood like that, the two of them, smiling at each other, finally helping everything come together in the way that their fathers never did.

…

_**Well? How was it? I wasn't so sure on this one…**_

_**Lu xxx**_


	13. Coming Home

_**Heya everyone!**_

_**Hope you enjoy the chapter!**_

_**MissNena214: No problem. And neither can I :'( just hold on xx**_

_**AsraStar: I'm glad you do! Here is your update xx**_

_**Hotlight10: I'm glad that you are enjoying it, and here it is in writing! Xx**_

_**Torchwood and The Doctor: …soon. I want to add in a few more chapters first just so that the story doesn't seem rushed. Xx**_

_**Nisandfeline: I may include more info on that, and I'm glad you like them xx**_

_** .12: thank you so much! That review was lovely, it made me grin, and you wait no longer! Xx**_

_**Lu xxx**_

* * *

><p>Magnus was sitting in his office, his elbows resting on the sleek metal amongst the scattered sheets, rubbing his temples and groaning. He had a load of work to do but he just could not concentrate. His phone kept going off and people kept coming in and telling him things, but he just was not focussed. It was about twelve, he reckoned, and he was supposed to be meeting Camille for lunch, but he just couldn't bring himself to – he was just going to have to call and cancel.<p>

He picked up his mobile and was just about to dial his fiancé when it rang first. Without even pausing to check the number he pressed the answer button and held it up to his ear.

"Hey Dad."

Magnus rubbed his forehead. His son sounded nervous, and he was calling from school, which was never good.

"What have you done now, Will?"

"Nothing." The boy sounded a bit offended. "I was just calling to see if I could go round to one of my mates houses tonight – his dad's gonna pick me up and drop me off and everything, you just need to say it's okay and tell Camille not to pick me up. Would that be alright?"

"Sure, Will, whatever. What sort of time are you likely to be back?"

"Um, about eight? Eight."

"Okay. And you'll be eating there?"

"Yep."

Will popped the p.

"Well, that's fine. I'll see you later, yeah?"

"Yeah. Bye dad!"

"Bye Will."

That made up Magnus's mind. He grabbed his satchel off of the floor, stuffing his laptop mercilessly into it and sliding his iPhone into the back pocket of his skinny jeans, storming out of the office and slamming the door behind him, not even wincing at the loud noise – he may have had a bit too much to drink from the private whisky stash he kept under his bed. He was determined to go to lunch with Camille, to make her happy and to keep him happy, because they both deserved that, and he was going to move on, and he was going to forget Alec, because he could not live like this any longer. He needed to stop living in the past, and live in the future instead.

* * *

><p>"Dad, um, can I ask you something?"<p>

"Sure, can you be quick though? I have a meeting in five minutes."

"Um, canWillcomeovertonightfordinner?"

"Sorry, what? Max, I didn't really catch that, slow down."

"Can Will come over tonight for dinner?"

"Um…"

"I already kinda invited him…"

"Max!"

"So… can he? I just… I just wanted him to meet his other dad, and for you to meet him, and…"

"That's fine. I'll pick you up as normal, okay?"

"Thanks Dad!"

"No problem Max. See you later."

"Bye!"

* * *

><p>Max and Will walked out of the school laughing together; Will's died down as they walked into the afternoon sun. He suddenly went very quiet, his feet scuffing along the ground. Eventually he stopped and just stood there ringing his hands together, looking at the ground. He'd gone a bit white again, the way he was holding his hands not quite covering up the shaking.<p>

"What's up, Will?"

"I'm just nervous. I don't even know what Alec looks like… I can't really remember him from the other day. What if he doesn't like me?"

Max sighed.

"He will. I know him. He'll love you. He does love you. You're his son too."

Will nodded.

"Thanks."

It was pretty clear he had just needed some reassurance. They wandered out fully into the courtyard, the quietness still there but less awkward, the atmosphere between the two of them less tense. The place was crowded with kids and parents, but after a couple of seconds standing on his tiptoes and scanning the crowd, he noticed him, his hand on the strap of his bag, clearly looking around too. Max waved at him and then grabbed Will's hand, dragging him towards his dad.

Alec smiled when the two of them came over.

"Hey Max. Hey…hey Will."

He raised his hand up at Will, who was just stood there.

"Hi."

"Um… shall we go?"

Muttered Max.

Alec and Will nodded simultaneously. It was quite funny.

"Yep, let's get home. I'm probably gonna order a Chinese tonight as well from Taki's. D'you like Chinese, Will?"

They started to walk off down towards the subway.

"Yeah, I love it! I love stuff from Taki's too, but recently Dad's stopped taking me there…don't know why, probably Camille."

"Oh, Camille's still about then?"

"Yep… and she's engaged to Magnus. They're getting married pretty soon I think."

"Right…"

"She's a bitch. I hate her. Dad doesn't really love her, she doesn't really love him, and she is just using him. And she hates me."

"Ah, the usual manipulative Camille then."

"Yes. She has been around most of my life, but I still hate her. I wish it had been you around."

"So do I. And I did try Will. But I'm gonna be around now. Does… does Magnus know that you are with me? That you know who I am?"

Max winced at the way that Alec's voice cracked when he said Magnus's name.

"Um… no. And no. And he also doesn't think I know who Max is. Actually, he doesn't know I know I have a brother."

"Right. So this is our secret then?"

"Yeah."

Suddenly Alec's phone went off. He checked it and then pressed the answer button.

"Heya."

"No that's probably fine, I mean Max is gonna have someone over, but I'm sure we can manage."

"Yep, as long as you like Chinese."

"Oh, I'll explain later, we're just on out way back to the apartment now."

"Yep, see ya!"

Alec pressed his phone again and then slid it into his pocket, turning back to the boys.

"Okay, that was your Clary. Everyone's coming over to dinner tonight as well as Will. They'll be there when we get home."

"Who is Clary and everyone?"

Asked Will, curious.

"Oh, um, well there is my brother Jace, your uncle, and his wife Clary, and my sister Izzy, and her husband Simon. So all of your aunts and uncles on that side."

"Cool. So I get to meet them all!"

"Yep."

Max watched as Will grinned. It was nice to watch. Wonderful. Seeing Will get what he had dreamed of. Except that Will had only known about the whole thing for twenty four hours. Max had known his entire life. It was making Max very jealous – he hated to admit it, but it was. He wished that he could talk to Magnus like Will was talking to Alec, meet his friends and the people in Will's life. But he couldn't. And he was happy for Will. He could tell that he had been really upset by Magnus's engagement to Camille, and he guessed it was nice for him to finally be getting someone else.

* * *

><p>Will was really excited.<p>

He had met his dad, his other dad, all thanks to Max. And now he was going to be seeing all of these other aunts and uncles that he hadn't heard of before but was eager to know, was going to… he didn't dare think it. Become part of the family? He hoped so. He wanted more than anything to have both of his dads as part of his life, and have this other half of his family to make everything complete. And Alec was brilliant too, funny and exciting and clever and everything Magnus was, just a little bit… toned down, less mad and energetic. It was nice. It was a nice change.

He hoped Alec would accept him as a son, because as well as giving him another parent it would give him someone else to rely on. Someone to go to when Magnus was away on business – from now about twice a year or so he was going to be going away for a while, now that Camille was there to look after Will – so that he could escape the evil step mother and not feel so alone. Will just couldn't get over it. Not only did he have another dad, be he had another perfect dad, another fin and witty dad, and another dad that… did Alec care about him deeply? After all of this time would he really be able to call Will his son?

Everything was just an excited, nervous jumble in his head.

They were on the subway, Max and Alec having a hushed conversation about something and Will was just staring into the distance, thinking and smiling to himself. He had never really been to this part of the city before, not properly at least, only when he was passing through to somewhere else. And he had never left New York. He'd never had any reason to. It was his home, and it had everything that he needed. And now he was getting all of these new things, new experiences, all at once. Next thing he knew Magnus would probably be suggesting that they fly out to Malta or something totally random like that. After everything that had happened in the past few days, he wouldn't put anything past fate or the universe. They seemed to be working together to make his life confusing and brilliant and scary and horrible all at once. He loved them, and hated them. A love hate relationship. That could occasionally get on his nerves.

The train pulled to a stop in the station and the three of them stepped off of it and onto the tiled platform, slightly slippery and worn with use of the thousands of feet that had walked there. Up the stairs, just as worn, just as polished with wear, and onto the cracked pavement above. The hints of the sun flaring brightly as they emerged from underground, stepping to avoid all of the cracks in the pavement that emerged out everywhere like starbursts. Will looked up just as they came to a massive building, all shiny silver and windows, the revolving doors in front of them fluttering up a soft breeze. Max and Alec were going inside. Will followed them inside.

It was all chrome and shine and metal and marble, sleek and modern, everything polished and smooth, no splinters on the non-existent wood like the stairs to Magnus's loft apartment. There weren't stairs here either, just lifts with steel doors and buttons lit up with an eerie blue light. The ride wasn't jerky of halted, it was smooth, sleek, just like the building. The doors didn't creak as they opened. The tiles on the floor were the darkest black imaginable, the lights blue and mysterious, casting a soft glow everywhere. There was only a door in front of them, and that was it. It appeared that this was the loft apartment too. Alec clicked a key into the lock, and the door swung open, revealing an apartment that looked like a home, even with the base coat of the rest of the building – it looked like a dusting of cosy had been added.

In front of Will glimmered three pairs of eyes. Tawny, almost golden ones that stared determinedly and insistently, green ones that shimmered and sparkled and _smiled_, chocolate brown ones that seemed clever and kind and happy, and dark dark brown ones that looked almost black and looked like they would snap if you told them so.

"Guys, this is Will."

The tawny eyes narrowed.

"Alec, why does he look just like you?"

* * *

><p><em><strong>Okay, so I have to go away next week to this place with NO INTERNET but I can still write, so what I am going to do is write loads of chapters and then upload them all when I get back. Is that okay?<strong>_

_**Lu xx**_

_**P.S. How was that chapter? :P**_


	14. Cold Days

_**Okay, I'm so sorry; I have had a shitload of school work lately, so I haven't been able to write much. I wish school didn't have to take priority, but it does. Also I had to deal with CoHF, and that took a day up with reading and then a day up with the feels. I am sorry, ut at least you have an update now.**_

_**Lu xxx**_

* * *

><p>"<em>Guys, this is Will."<em>

_The tawny eyes narrowed._

"_Alec, why does he look just like you?"_

Shit. Alec had completely forgotten that Jace and Isabelle and Simon hadn't the faintest clue about Will's existence.

"Um… um you remember what I said in Taki's? That it was a long story?"

Jace smiled just a little.

"I guess it's time for you to tell it."

"I guess. Max, take Will to your room. We need to have a… private conversation."

Max nodded, and grabbed a confused and slightly scared looking Will around everyone and into the corridor beyond, five pairs watching like hawks as they did so. When the two boys were out of sight, Jace's glare switched back to Alec's, hard and fixed but not cold exactly.

"Okay, spill."

"Okay. Everything started on my eighteenth birthday. Magnus wanted to celebrate in style, so we raided his whisky cupboard, and… well, we never did that again. Anyways, we got totally sloshed, to the point where we were both slumped on the floor, each with a bottle in our hand, having one of those stupid conversations that only drunk people ever had. Somehow we got onto kids, and Magnus was blabbing on about how he would be a great dad and how I would be a great dad and after a bit we were both firm on the idea that we should have kids somehow and that it was a brilliant idea. The strange thing was that once we were in our right minds the next morning, we still thought exactly the same thing. So we got it sorted that afternoon.

Then, in those nine months, all shit broke loose. Maryse and Robert were away more and more, so I had to look after you guys more and more, and increasingly Magnus thought I was either having an affair with Jace or some other random person and was using seeing you as a lame cover up excuse. And he started to see Camille Belcourt behind my back when I was out or when he was 'out' on 'business'. We started fighting, our relationship got more and more strained. I think we both hoped that being dads would sort us out, but it didn't. They had been home a matter of hours when Magnus called it off. I begged him to try to fix it for their sakes, but no.

I had to choose a child to take. I couldn't face never seeing either of my sons again, and taking both would have been a legal nightmare. So…so I had to make that choice. I hate myself for making it, but I had to. I took Max out of there with all of my things, smashed my phone on the floor, and got a cab to JFK airport. I took the next available flight out of there and never looked back. I lived in California, brought Max up in the way I'd always wanted to be brought up. And then I got the job offer for the Idris Times. So we came back.

Yesterday, I was late to pick Max up. When I arrived, Magnus was there, with Camille, and an eight year old boy. Max confirmed the boy, his twin brother, to be his best friend Will that he had always been banging on about. I had had no idea that Magnus had even kept Will or anything. So it was a bit of a shock for both of us. And that is basically it."

Everyone just stood there, shocked, blinking. Then Jace piped up.

"Epic."

Clary visibly snapped.

"You think that everything that Alec has been through is _epic_?! I cannot believe you Jace Herondale!"

"Not that!" Jace said hurriedly, holding his hands up in surrender, "I meant the fact that I have another nephew. Simon may have nabbed the best uncle spot with Max, but I am determined to be Will's favourite. I shall take you down!"

Simon looked ever so slightly scared by Jace's announcement, but joined in with everyone else laughing just the same.

"So…you met Will yesterday then?"

Asked Simon.

Alec nodded.

"And…does Magnus know he is here."

"Er…no. He just knows that Will is at a friends house and won't be back until later."

"Right."

Simon just nodded, clearly too nervous to say anything else.

"Can we meet him now?"

Clary was grinning enthusiastically now.

"And am I his godmother too?"

"Yep. And Simon is his godfather."

"Sweet."

"Can they come back in now?"

Izzy asked nervously. Alec had noticed that about her recently, that she had become more nervous and reluctant, hanging back in the shadows and not putting herself in the spotlight. He noticed with a jolt that she had become more and more like him, and he had started to become a tiny bit more outgoing, like her. It was strange how things changed.

"Sure. _Max!_"

A moment later the two boys came back into the room, Max rushing forward to hug Clary and Will hanging back nervously. Alec moved over to him and put his hand on his son's back.

"That's Clary and Jace, and that's Simon and Izzy."

Will smiled at them shyly. Jace lifted a hand.

"Hey Will."

"Hi."

Jace grinned.

* * *

><p>Magnus was sat on the sofa at home, flicking through the channels aimlessly and constantly looking at his watch. Five past eight. Ten past eight. Quarter past. He knew that he was being paranoid, but a part of him desperately wanted Will to be home so that he knew that he was safe and for a bit of company. Camille had gone out with some friends to do one thing or another about two hours ago and Magnus had been sat about doing not a lot since. He remembered ordering and eating several pizzas after developing an odd craving for them, but that was about it; everything else was blurred, fragments occasionally surfacing. He threw the remote down with a defeated sigh and got up, pacing the apartment restlessly.<p>

He hadn't been able to focus the entire evening. He'd tried reading, but it hadn't worked. He'd tried the TV – when there had still been decent stuff on – but he hadn't been able to keep his mind on it for two minutes. He'd tried customising an old pair of jeans, but his mind had wandered off so much that he had ended up accidentally cutting them in half and slicing his finger open at the same time. As a last resort he had tried one of his favourite things, trying out new types of glittery hair dye, but what had started out as a test patch had turned by accident into an entire strand of hair by accident, so he had had to put streaks all over his hair. Not that he minded blue sparkly highlights, but he had been planning to see if they set his head on fire or something before coating his head in the stuff.

He knew why he was restless – of course he did. It was because of Alec. Because he had seen him. It had reawakened all of the feelings, the good and the bad, that Magnus has always associated with him in a way that the anniversary had never seemed to have been able to. It was both annoying and scary, and it was driving Magnus out of his mind. He needed something to take his mind off of it, but everything he had tried had just made him think more of it and there was no one home to help. Camille did have atrocious timing when it came to buggering off at inappropriate moments, or moments where she was needed. Still, he needed to appease her – she had been in a bit of a foul mood after the stuff Will had said, and it had taken a lot of effort to convince her that Magnus did love her and Will struggling to adjust was not going to change that.

He checked his watch again. Half past. He was just about to call Will when the boy burst through the door, panting slightly, his hair messy from the wind and his cheeks flushed. Magnus moved over to the door, where Will was leaning, clearly out of breath.

"Why were you late?"

He demanded.

"Traffic was awful."

"Okay. Did you have a good evening?"

Will nodded and looked up at Magnus.

"Have you dyed your hair _blue_?!"

"No, just highlights. And it's sparkly too. D'you like it?"

"Yeah, it looks good! Matches your eyeliner too."

Recently Magnus had developed a fetish for blue glittery eyeliner in large quantities.

"Yep. Um, Will, we have to talk about…"

"About the wedding?"

"Yeah. About the wedding. Camille and I had lunch together today and set the date."

"When?"

"Exactly a month."

"_A month! Only a month!_"

Magnus pinched the bridge of his nose.

"I take it you still haven't come around to the whole idea."

"I was maybe, but Dad that's really soon!"

Magnus sighed.

"It was Camille's idea. And anyway, we have already booked the venue."

"I could have guessed. Where is it gonna be?"

"Central Park. Camille has… contacts that mean we can get this small grove licensed, and then we have a massive party afterwards, and… yeah."

"Right. I'm going to bed now."

"Oh, okay."

Will was just about to storm off when Magnus caught hold of his arm. He spun around, clearly annoyed.

"What?"

"Will, you know that me getting married to Camille isn't going to change the relationship between us two, right? That I still love you to bits, that you are still one of the most important people in my life?"

"Yeah. Totally."

The sarcasm dripped from his voice as he glared at Magnus.

"If I was really that important to you, you wouldn't be marrying Camille."

And then he did stomp off towards his bedroom, slamming the door shut behind him so hard that a few cracks appeared in the frame. The clatters of his boots on the ground were like gunshots. Gunshots shooting Magnus's heart over and over, putting him in immense pain but never killing him. So much for a distraction, the encounter with Will had just left things worse. He leaned against the wall by the door frame, sinking to the floor and finally allowed himself to cry.

* * *

><p>Clary and Jace wandered back down the street to their apartment, next to each other but not touching. The evening had admittedly been a laugh, Will being just as much fun and just as interesting as Max, once the initial shock of both parties had worn off, and the whole group had just gotten on like a house on fire – almost literally. Clary was never letting Jace near a grill with Tessa after he had managed to set fire to half of Alec's beautiful new kitchen with Will and Max after deciding that they were going to grill some cheese. Why they had decided this Clary had no idea – the Taki order had already been placed.<p>

There was a cool, almost unpleasant breeze in the air, signalling the fast approaching winter as autumn began to draw to a close. Clary drew her coat around her a little tighter, her hands stuffed into the pockets, as Jace nattered on about the evening. It was clear that he had enjoyed it a lot – he wouldn't be talking so much otherwise.

"…oh but Will was brilliant, wasn't he?"

"Yes. Though I am pretty sure you only think that because he called you amazing and joined in with all of those stupid schemes."

"Well… sort of."

"I still can't believe you! I mean, I know that you have a habit of burning food at home and occasionally setting fire to toast, but setting the entire kitchen ablaze?!"

"Will and Max found it funny. And so did Alec, to be fair."

"Yes, but I didn't! That was really embarrassing Jace, you acted like a child!"

"Clary, I'm only twenty four, I should still be allowed to have fun!"

"You are an adult Jace! When are you going to accept that this is the real world, and that you can't just dance through life without having a care?"

"Is this about me not having a job, Clary?"

"Yes! You can't jeep one, you have lost every job you have had within a couple of days because you don't take it seriously! You haven't worked in over a month, you just spend all day at the Hunter's Moon or gambling or the Angel knows what!"

"I'm trying to find a new one…"

"No you're not."

"What?"

"You aren't trying at all. You're just relying on me. I already have to spend all day in Alec's building, and your recent antics mean that I've had to take a job in Sephora over the weekend too! How long is it before I have to work evenings too, Jace?"

"Clary..."

"Not to mention the fact that you _never_ see Tessa! And neither do I, because I always have to be out. She called Maureen Mom the other day! And it's your fault!"

"Clary, who is Maureen?"

"The babysitter I hired to look after your daughter because I can't and you refuse to!"

"Oh."

"Yes, oh, Jace Herondale!"

"Clary…"

"Hmm?"

"Clary, I'm sorry, I didn't realise…"

"Of course you didn't. You're too self absorbed."

"Right. It's not like I haven't been through a lot, what with my dad that I never really knew dying…"

"Jace, we all have our issues! My parents just took off one day, but I don't use that as an excuse for being a worthless slob!"

"You don't understand!"

"I've tried to! But you shut me out and kept on as a child! Grow up Jace, or I don't know how long we can last. I'm sorry."

Jace turned away, stalking off in the other direction, probably towards one of his favourite haunts, head ducked against the wind, hands stuffed hastily into the pockets of his jeans. Clary hated lying to everyone, pretending that everything was just fine, but she couldn't bear to face what other people would think of them, of him. She swivelled in the opposite direction, and walked the final few blocks to the apartment, pulling her coat around her again against the now biting air that was stinging at her face and hands. It was hardly a surprise when the first few hailstones dropped from the sky.

* * *

><p>Alec grabbed Max's hand and together they ran out of the subway and onto the street. The hail was falling hard, slamming against the metal roofs of cars and stinging where it touched the skin. They laughed as they charged into the hall of their building, lowering their arms from where they had been protecting their heads and skidding about on the tiled floor. They made their way together over to the elevator, Max pressing the blue button. There was the soft click as the doors opened and they slid inside, feet tapping on the floor as the second long journey passed.<p>

The doors clicked opened again and then they were at the top floor. Alec looked up – and blinked.

Clary was stood in the hallway, a massive suitcase stood next to her and Tessa clutching onto her arm, her thumb stuck defiantly in her mouth and several hailstones still stuck in her long, almost white hair that made them invisible. She turned to face him, her red curls bright against the dull corridor. There were lines of tears down her face, her green eyes glistening in the harsh lighting.

"Clary, are you alright?"

He said, shocked.

Clary shook her head pathetically.

Alec quickly unlocked the apartment, quickly depositing Tessa in one of the spare bedroom and shoving in the suitcase before rushing back into the lounge. Clary was stood there, and as soon as Alec came out – Max had taken the hint and disappeared – she fell into his arms, sobbing.

* * *

><p><em><strong>So?<strong>_

_**Lu xxx**_


	15. Unraveling And Fixing

_**Hey guys… **_

_**Another chapter for you today! I have reached Chapter 15! **_

_**Thank you to the 21 of you who have favourited and the 30 who have followed. You are amazing. xx**_

_**I have decided that because we are on 45 reviews (and I am really enjoying writing this) if I get 50 reviews by 5/6 o'clock this evening, British time, I will upload a special 50 review chapter, that I may make a bit longer – 5000/6000 words. Just something to consider. Your reviews are what have been making me smile/write so fast/want to continue. X**_

Hotlight10:_** yes, I do feel like Will needs to mouth off to Magnus occasionally. I like to think that someone is making a stand about the whole Camille thing! Also, yes, I read CoHF, and although none of the characters I really love died I still cried a lot. Especially at you know what. xxx**_

L'amore13:_** I am pleased that you like it! Its little comments like that that brighten up my dark days and make me smile. **__** xxx**_

AsraStar:_** I am glad you are still enjoying it and still reviewing for me. Here is an update as soon as I could get it for you. xxx**_

Greekgoddess54_**: Thank you so much! I am really pleased that you are all enjoying it! In response to your questions, that may come into play, although I hadn't thought about that… so thank for the inspiration! Your reviews always make me smile, and I had been having a particularly stressful evening when I read that, and it just made me indescribably happy. Thank you so much! Xxx**_

sarahps12:_** I'm sorry about Clace, but it will be important and not permanent. Just hang on. And someone needs to tell Magnus how it is. Camille is a bitch. I do not like her at all. I'm afraid you may have to die for a little bit longer, but the moment will come. Xxx**_

_**Happy birthday to LoveIsAPowerfulThingxx for tomorrow! I love you darling.**_

_**And now for the actual story… **_

_**Enjoy xxx**_

_**Lu xxx**_

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><p>It had been a few days since Will had been to see his family, and the fact that he hadn't been able to see them since was ebbing away at him slowly like acid.<p>

Magnus had been insistent that Will should come home with Camille every night still, despite the fact that Will said he could go over to a friend's for a bit and that would be so much less pressure on Camille, probably because he was desperate for the two of them to bond. If this was the case, then his plan was going horrible wrong. If anything, Camille and Will hated each other _more_ because Camille felt her day was interrupted for 'that squirt'. And Will just hated Camille, and the less that he could have to do with her, the better.

Will was sitting at home on the Xbox, his feet lazily kicked up on the glass coffee table in a way that he had definitely picked up from Magnus. Camille had just gone out after picking him up from the Institute, where he had spent the morning. In fact, she had never come in at all, just ushered Will in through the door and slammed it shut behind him, the heels or her deep crimson shoes echoing down the stairs out of the building as she went to some fancy lunch or something, probably with Magnus. Will didn't mind. It was better when Camille wasn't there. He could relax, and didn't have to worry about scowling all the time. Besides, Chairman Meow, who refused to be seen when Camille was in the house, would come out and curl up next to Will.

He was just lazily flicking buttons, not really concentrating at all, when his eyes latched onto something – the top of a book sticking out from the back of one of the millions of sofas Magnus always had in his apartment. It looked normal, a deep blue colour with a slight sheen on the cover, and nothing more, but somehow, Will found himself drawn to it. He set down the controller carefully on the table, got up equally carefully to avoid the wrath of the Chairman, and pulled the whole thing out.

It was indeed nothing special on the outside, a normal spiral bound notebook that you could buy for virtually nothing down at a bodega, but it did seem thick, unusually thick for a notebook like that. Will flipped open the front.

_Dear Alec…_

It was the only part of the message that was legible. The rest had run and blotched, forming tiny veins of ink over the page; as if someone had been crying so hard when they had written this that they had destroyed it immediately. Or maybe someone had cried over it a lot since. Either way, Will could only make out the first couple of words and then the familiar looping signature at the bottom of the page that belonged to his father. Now he was intrigued.

He flicked through more pages. They were covered in writing, words cramped up in the margin, loopy scrawl adorning every page, the paper bumpy from the pressure that had been put on each page. There were fragments of pictures occasionally, little tickets that had been torn in two, a wristband for some sort of festival, now with only a fraction left intact. It was the strangest notebook Will had ever seen, and as he skimmed the pages he realised something else.

This was his dad's diary.

Magnus's diary.

The opportunity was too good to miss – to find out about Magnus's past from Magnus's point of view, to find out how he had lived and what sort of private life he had, to find out everything he had always wanted to know about his father's murky past and actually pretty murky present that Magnus refused to tell – except Magnus was telling everything now. Just… indirectly, through letters to a random non existent nobody that all diaries are written to.

Will clutched the book to his chest, leaving the Xbox abandoned, and padded over to his room, his bare feet silent on the wooden floor. Some part of him felt guilty for reading his father's private thoughts, but the rest of him was filled with an overwhelming curiosity, a huge desire to know more about his dad, to start to understand him, and to find out his part of the story, the side of this whole messed up affair that had never been known. Will slumped down onto his bed, thumbed back to the first page, and then began to read.

* * *

><p>Alec sighed and slammed his phone back down on the table.<p>

"Sorry, Clary. He's not picking up."

Jace had disappeared off of the face of the earth. Alec had gone to the apartment the day after Clary had turned up distraught on his doorstep and found it abandoned, untouched since the day before. That wasn't what worried Alec – Jace did occasionally spend the entire night out and return late in the evening very drunk. What had worried him was that he still hadn't returned four days later, and was not answering any of the desperate phone calls and texts that Alec had been bombarding him with.

Clary had been an absolute wreck during this time. Everything had just crept up on her and she had been exhausted, barely sleeping at night. Dark circles fell underneath her eyes, and she looked pale, her cheeks pinched. She had been panicking non stop, about Jace, and about how to afford everything – Jace was leaving her close to destitute, and despite the state she was in she was still holding down both of her jobs, which Alec both admired and was concerned about. Luckily, it was a Sunday, so Clary hadn't to go to work and had instead had a chance to simply breathe.

"It's okay Alec. Thanks for trying."

She said in a small voice. She had seemed to be very quiet over the past few days. Alec moved to sit beside her on the sofa, putting the two coffees that he had been preparing down, glad for the lack of kids. He loved Max, and he loved Tessa, but it was really helpful that they weren't here so that Alec didn't have to deal with both things at once – Izzy and Simon had taken the pair of them out for the day. Clary reached forward and took a sip of her latte, her fingers gripped so hard around the cup that Alec wasn't really surprised when her knuckles turned white.

"Clary… you know that you can stay here as long as you need to, right? And that I can always help you out if you get into a bit of trouble."

"Yeah, I know. I just wish it was Jace that helped support us, and looked after us properly, rather than his brother."

"I know, biscuit."

It had been a term of endearment used a lot around Clary, and Alec had found it catchy.

"I am sorry for being such a burden…"

"Don't be silly. I'm your friend – that's what friends do."

He pulled Clay into a hug – she'd thankfully put the coffee down, or that could have gotten a bit messy – and the began to sob into his chest, great gasping sobs, the sort that only happened when the person felt that their life was on the verge of ending. The sort that had been echoing through the apartment since Clary had arrived, casting a dismal mood over the place like a cloud of smog hanging thick and choking in the air. He stroked the girl's hair softly, holding her close ad she desperately clung to him.

"I promise you Clary, we will find Jace, and then I will tell him what's what, okay? Because he is bloody lucky to have someone as amazing as you, and if he is not careful he is going to screw that all up. Sound good?"

Clary nodded.

"I just wish he'd get his head out of the clouds and realise that this is the real world."

"Yep. You know, for a moment I really thought that he had grown up, but he hasn't at all, and that is not fair on you at all, especially when you have Tessa. I will sort this out, Clary. I know it sounds ridiculous, but try not to think about it?"

Clary laughed.

"We should do something absolutely stupid to take my mind off it."

She sniffed.

"We should. We have…." He checked his watch "Four hours. Where do you propose we begin?"

"Um… watch some stupid movie at the cinema and get ourselves kicked out?"

Alec grinned, memories swimming back towards him and surfacing gracefully.

"I know just the place."

* * *

><p>Will sprinted into the classroom, skidding on the floor as usual. Mr Garroway just looked exasperated as usual and didn't even make a comment as he sauntered to the back and threw himself dramatically onto his seat. Max grinned at him and gave him a wave, before turning back to what Mr Garroway was saying. In fact, all of the class was paying attention, which was odd, as it was not usually the case that anyone listened. Whatever he was saying must have either been super exciting or super important, so Will pricked his ears up.<p>

"…Okay guys, so remember that it is parents evening tonight. I think that all of you are able to come tonight except…"

Mr Garroway checked a list in his hand.

"…except Will. Will, are you definitely not going to be here?"

Will shook his head.

"Dad can't get out of work."

The teacher nodded.

"Okay, well, I'll send him and email or something to let him know how you are doing. As for everyone else, I have your times on this sheet of paper," He started waving it about above his head, which looked really stupid "Which I will be sticking up on the door, so if you check that out when you have the time, and I shall see you then. In other news…"

And Will switched off again. He turned to Max, who was chewing on his pen and gazing off into the distance, totally out of it. He threw a screwed up piece of paper at the boy.

"Max!"

Max sat up straight and then turned to look at Will. It was blatantly obvious that he had been day dreaming.

"Hey Will."

"So you're going tonight."

Max nodded.

"Yeah. Dad though it was ridiculously important because it's a new school, and besides, he wants to meet my new teacher."

"Sounds alright. How was your weekend?"

"I stayed over at Aunty Izzy's and Uncle Simon's. Clary is staying at ours and I think dad and her needed a bit of space so they sent us there to get rid of us, but it was fun."

"Why is Clary staying at your place? And who is 'us'?"

"Oh, me and our cousin Tessa, you should meet her soon. And I think something happened between her and Jace and now Jace is missing so she just needs someone to help out."

"Oh, okay. Hey, do you think I could come over tomorrow to meet Tessa?"

"Sure. I mean I'll have to ask dad but I am pretty sure he'll be okay with that. You know, he would have you over every night if you wanted instead of that awful bitch Camille taking you home."

Will sighed.

"I know, and I'd love that, but Magnus is adamant that Camille and I should spend more time together, as if that will make us like each other. All it does is make her worse."

"Urgh. Well, try asking again tonight. It would be awesome if us three could spend more time together as a sort of proper family."

"Okay."

* * *

><p>Alec walked into the school with his hands in his pockets and followed the signs towards Max's classroom. It was slightly cold in the corridor, but all of the lights were still on and it didn't feel creepy and abandoned like some schools did after all the pupils had gone home. He found the right door and looked in through the window. There was no one else in there other than Max's teacher bent over the desk, so he walked inside.<p>

The man looked up, the glasses and unruly hair and chequered blue shirt easily recognisable.

"Luke?"

"Alec! I didn't know that you were Max's dad! God, it's been a while!"

"It has." Alec smiled and went to shake his hand. "I thought Clary said you were in Azerbaijan with Jocelyn?!"

"No…no, Jocelyn made me go on one of her mad escapades and within a month had run of with some Italian man she had met there. I came back, and tried to find Clary, but she had moved and her number had changed so I couldn't get hold of her."

"Oh. I could give you her number if you want? I'm pretty sure she'd understand. I don't think she ever blamed you for running off, just Jocelyn."

Luke nodded.

"That would be brilliant. I have missed her a lot. Has much happened?"

"Um, she married Jace…" Luke smiled. "And she had a two year old daughter, Tessa."

"It's a shame I missed all of that. I really hope she doesn't hate me."

"I'm sure she won't. If you explain everything to her, then I am sure she will understand."

"Okay. Shall we get back to Max now?"

"Yep. So, how's he been doing?"

* * *

><p>Will was sat at home on the sofa, waiting for his dad to arrive back home. He had stuffed the notebook back into the pink couch a few days ago, having memorised its contents, and it appeared that Magnus hadn't noted its disappearance, or at least hadn't said anything about its disappearance, so that was a good sign. He remembered vividly a few sections if it, especially the few things in there that were written to him, that appeared to be practicing speeches to Will.<p>

_Will, um, we need to have a chat about your other parent. The one you've never met... _

_Will, the thing is, you have a brother, a twin brother…_

_Will, I know this is hard for you to understand, but… you never had a mom. Not really. Instead you had another dad. His name is Alexander…_

_Will…_

_Will…_

_Will…_

There were so many of those sorts of sentences, pages and pages of Magnus trying to work out how he was one day going to tell Will all of these things. Pages and pages of them scribbled over and scored through, discarded. It was clear that even if Magnus had been able to tell Will some day about everything, he would never have had the right words, he would never have been able to find them. Maybe it was better that Magnus hadn't had to tell him about his brother, only about Alec. Maybe it was better that Will had heard that from someone else.

Just then the door opened and Magnus walked in. Will jumped to his feet.

"Dad…."

"What?"

"Please can I go to my friends house every day after school instead of getting picked up by Camille and then get dropped of later?"

"Will, I've already said no, I want you to get to know Camille a bit better…"

"It's just that Camille has been so busy lately what with organising the wedding and everything, and her having to pick me up just wastes her time, which she should be able to have."

"Fine. I give in. Just as long as you are back home by seven every night for dinner."

"Thanks dad!"

Will went up and hugged his dad, impressed by his own acting skills and his ability to convince his father that he actually cared about Camille and her wellbeing. He smiled to himself happily. He was finally going to be able to spend proper time with Alec and Max. Everything was going to be epic. And he still had Magnus, too, at least for now.

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><p><em><strong>How was that? Please review, remember if I get to 50 by 56 I will update later with a long chapter!**_

_**Thank you for reading,**_

_**Lu xxx**_


	16. The Acting Game

_**Heya guys, here is another chapter.**_

_**Thalicoforever3.14: Thank you so much! Here is your update.**_

_**AsraStar: No more waiting, here is an update.**_

_**Luvmusic87: Thank you! Hope you enjoy this.**_

_**Guest: I am glad that you think so. And I like Will and his acting too. **_

_**Hotlight: One of those comments was used to influence me in this chapter, so thanks. And... well, you shall have to wait and see about Camille. But I am hoping so too.**_

_**To all of you who have ever reviewed: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**_

_**Please send reviews; they make me happy and want to write!**_

_**Lu xxx**_

* * *

><p>It was a Saturday. But not just any Saturday. The Saturday before the wedding. Which meant that all hell was breaking loose in Will's apartment as Camille and Magnus tried to make arrangements. Will was sat on the sofa, watching as adults rushed around doing seemingly pointless things such as deciding on colours and flowers and rings and all sorts. Camille was going to a dress fitting at some points, they were finalising the menu, and everything was just chaos. He hated it, and wished that he could just escape to his room, but someone was supposed to be bringing over the suit he was wearing and although it was all sorted Camille wanted to double check for the sixth time that the colour would go well, and so didn't want him buggering of anywhere. Basically, she was enjoying torturing Will by making him endure all of the crap that he had nothing to do with.<p>

Will didn't want to have anything to do with the wedding either. He had refused to be the ring bearer, or a page boy, or an usher. He was refusing to sit at the front. He had tried to refuse to go to the wedding, but Magnus had drawn the line there. He had told Will point blank that his son would be coming to his wedding, no doubt about it, that was happening, even if he was going to be a pain in the arse throughout the entire thing. Which was a shame. But he was determined to bring backup to at least the ceremony itself, even if it involved some heavy duty lying to everyone.

After a quarter of an hour, however, whatever guy had the suit still hadn't turned up, and Will had had enough of it. He pushed himself wearily off of the sofa and wound his way through the crowds of fretting people towards his dad, who was slumped on the island in his kitchen, rubbing his temples with his fingers and looking like he was about to murder someone. Will leant his elbows on the island and looked intently at Magnus.

"Hey Dad."

Magnus jerked upwards, clearly surprised. When he saw Will he relaxed a little but still looked irritated and stressed.

"What is it Will?"

"Um… I was wondering if you could take me to the Institute?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because I'm needed here, and so are you, for that suit thing."

"Dad, you know full well that Camille was just making that up to annoy me. And you are clearly not doing anything helpful here."

"I might be."

"Yes, but you aren't."

"You know that Camille will murder me and make your life living hell if we go off now and leave her alone in this."

"Dad, she thrives in this sort of environment, she loves chaos. And anyways, I don't care. She can't make my life living hell if you won't let her.

"Fine, okay, we'll go. But I'm not happy about this, Will."

"You are Dad. Of course you want to get out of here. It's giving you a headache – I can tell."

"Okay, fine, fine, you have me. Just give me five minutes, yeah, and I'll meet you outside in the hallway. And I am just dropping you off mind. And I only want you gone a couple of hours."

"Yeah, yeah. Thanks Dad. You're the best!"

Will gave his dad a quick hug before expertly navigating his way back through the main area of the apartment – his dad had held enough parties that he was used to it – and into his room, pulling the door shut behind him. He fell onto his bed and grabbed his laptop from where he had left it on his pillow, typing in the password with the ease of something that had had years of practice on it, and then went on to his email. He sent a quick message to Max, and as soon as the boy had responded a few seconds later he slammed the lid shut and jumped outside to the landing where his dad was waiting to take him away from the absolute hell that was Camille's wedding planning.

* * *

><p>Max was just playing a random game on his computer, one he didn't even really remember the name of, when a message announcement appeared on his screen. He frowned. He barely got emails, and so when he did it was annoying and exciting all at once. He clicked onto his email and then smiled. It was a message from Will, asking if he wanted to meet him in the tower of the library as soon as humanely possible. He replied with a short yes before going out of his room and into the kitchen.<p>

His dad was stood by the counter, clearing some mess or another up, and Tessa was sat happily in a high chair, banging her hands on the table and shouting total nonsense. He went up behind his dad quietly, his feet padding noiselessly across the tiled floor, and carefully, ever so carefully, prodded Alec right in the small of the back.

He jumped a mile.

Alec spun around as Max laughed and clutched his sides, going a little pink but smiling as well. He put down the soggy cloth he had been using, which had now dripped water all over the floor, and leant against the counter, his hands loosely gripping the edge.

"What's up Max?"

"Will asked me if I could go to the Institute like now?"

Alec raised an eyebrow. Tessa shouted something.

"Oh yeah?"

"And…"

"Max, I know that you'll have already agreed."

Max sighed.

"Okay, okay, you win. But can you take me over?"

"Sure. But I'll have to take Tessa with me. How long are you gonna be there?"

"He said no more than two hours."

"Okay. I think what we'll do then is that you can go off with Will and then I'll stay in the building and go and read to Tessa or something and then we'll come back home. Clary should still be out by the time we get back so we should be okay."

That afternoon Clary had gone out to have coffee with Luke, Max's teacher. As it turned out, Luke was Clary's… well, not even technically step dad, but the only dad she had ever known, and the person that she thought of as her father. Apparently, Luke had gone away with Clary's mom and then she had run off, so he had come back, but when he had tried to find Clary it proved impossible. He had been searching for nearly five years when by pure luck he turned out to be Max's teacher at school and then Alec had met him at parents evening a couple of weeks before. Since then, he and Clary had been meeting up a lot, getting to know each other again and catching up with what had been going on in each others lives. Most of the time, Tessa had gone too but today she had been left behind because Clary had wanted to spend some quality time with Luke without having to worry about her or deal with her when she was being a pain or anything really.

"Sounds good. Can we leave now?"

"Yep, just let me get my coat. Could you fetch your own and Tessa's? They're on the two leftmost pegs."

"Sure."

Max walked over to the hooks beside the door and shrugged on his own blue zip up jacket before picking off the hook – with some difficulty, and standing on his tiptoes because the coat was so short and the peg was quite high up – Tessa's little toggle up pink piece of some fabric that Max didn't know. It looked like a mixture between denim and tweed and felt, but it wasn't scratchy. And it had an imitation sheep skin lining. If the coat had not been pink Max had the feeling that he would have been quite envious of his cousin.

He strolled back over to Tessa and plucked her out of the high chair, settling her on the floor and kneeling down in front of her. He helped her put her thin, fragile arms into the silky sleeves and then carefully toggled her up. She giggled happily and poked at his nose and pulled at his hair, and he laughed and scooped her up into his arms. She was quite heavy but nevertheless he settled her comfortably of his hip and wound a single strand of her silky golden hair around his finger. She giggled happily and clenched his fingers in her own slender fist.

"Good Maxie!"

She laughed. That really lit a grin up on Max's face – he loved it when Tessa said his name or smiled her cute little grin at him. Especially over the past couple of weeks she had become more like a little sister to him than like a cousin. Suddenly there was a cough from the door and Max looked up from Tessa to find Alec leaning against the doorframe, smiling. He gestured out of the open door.

"Are you two quite ready to go?"

"Oh, yeah, sorry…"

"No, I think it's cute, you being such a little dad to Tessa."

Max blushed a little and walked towards him and out of the door, still holding Tessa, her little arms wrapped firmly around his throat. He waited in the hallway until the sounds of the door closing and Alec fiddling with the key stopped with the key clicking softly as the door locked. Then Alec came up behind him and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Come on then Max. Let's get going."

And all three of them stepped into the elevator, talking softly as it began its descent.

* * *

><p>Will had been waiting on the stairs to nowhere in the greenhouse for around a quarter of an hour when Max finally walked in with a little girl clutching onto his hand and a big grin on his face. Will himself smiled when he saw her. Tessa. The twins' little cousin. She grinned a toothy grin to match his as the pair walked up closer to him.<p>

"Hey Max. How are you?"

"Good. You?"

"I have just had the morning from hell."

"Hell! Hell hell hell!"

Tessa giggled. Max frowned.

"How come?"

"Oh, Camille faffing about and all sorts of chaos going on. The usual really."

Will had chosen not to tell Max about just how soon the wedding was going to be, because he didn't really fancy being bombarded with questions about it. He just wanted to completely forget about it and let it not bother him. Except it was bothering him. It was bothering him entirely, like having a permanent, ridiculously annoying and painful itch that no matter how much you strained or stretched or tried to scratch was always a fingertips distance away, close enough to be very irritating but not close enough to do anything about.

He just wanted it over and done with and rid of. And soon, if at all possible.

"Oh. I should have guessed it was Camille."

Max sat down next to Will and pulled Tessa onto his lap, where she cuddled up to him, sucking her thumb quietly and thoughtfully staring off into the distance. She appeared to all of a sudden gotten very quiet.

"Yep, she's always ruining things for me. But it is fine, because I have you and Alec and Tessa to keep me sane and happy."

He smiled affectionately down at his little cousin and ruffled her hair gently. She didn't appear to notice much, or if she did, she didn't seem to have the energy or the inclination to react.

"Anyway, on a lighter note, are you free next Saturday?"

Max looked a bit startled.

"Um, yeah, I think so. Why?"

Will fished out the piece of paper – well, card – which he had carelessly shoved in his pocket before leaving his apartment.

"Would you be able to meet me here, looking relatively smart, from about half twelve to about half two?"

"Well, I'll have to ask dad but I don't see any reason why not. Why then?"

"Oh, just because I am very busy all day and those are the only times I am free. And, I want to spend more time with you."

"Will, you come over to my house every evening after school."

"Yeah, but as your brother I would, under normal circumstances, spend most of my time with you. And since you are not a normal sibling, meaning that you do not drive me completely bonkers, I want to spend as much time with you as possible. Is that alright?"

"Yeah, sure. And for the record, although you can be a little bit crazy at times and I may act angry, I'm just exasperated, that's all. You don't really annoy me. In fact, most of the time it is funny, its just I feel that if you are going to be the bad example, I ought to be the good example of the two of us. Even if I am younger."

Will chuckled.

"I know that you don't really get annoyed with me, Max. I can read you like a book. You wear your emotions on your sleeve in bright flashing colours."

"Oh…"

Said Max, timidly and shyly.

"Max, that isn't a bad thing. I think it is very brave. I wish I was that brave. My dad always taught me to close off my emotions, because if I wore them proud someone would see them, use them to their advantage and break my heart. I think really he was talking about himself then, saying that he shouldn't have been so clear about how he felt with dad, or none of the awful stuff would have happened. Really, I just think that he is making excuses for acting like an idiot."

It was only after Will had made his little speech that he realised what he had just done. He had said dad without thinking about it in reference to Alec. Normally, he would have to consciously force himself to say it, and it was pretty obvious to all those listening that he was making himself saying it. But just then he had done it without thinking, without even batting an eyelid at it, as if it was the most normal thing in the world, as if he had been doing it all of his life. Max seemed to have noticed too, as he was looking at Will in a peculiar way with his head cocked to one side. Still, he didn't make any comment on it. That was one of the best things about Max. He left situations like that alone, unless the one who had said it brought it up in conversation. Which Will most definitely didn't want to do.

The strangest thing about the whole thing, however, was that Will had enjoyed calling Alec dad. It felt so… right. And it made him feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

"Thanks."

Said Max, clearly puzzled.

"Anyway, how is it going with Clary and Luke?"

Will had been very interested in what had been going on between Clary and Luke – Mr Garroway, he reminded himself – since he had found out about the whole thing. It seemed like a confusing but interesting and good, welcome situation for Clary, who had been having it a little bit, okay very tough recently.

"Oh, I think it is going absolutely brilliantly between the two of them. She's out doing some sort of activity that adults think is fun right now, that's why we have Tessa. Seeing him is making her feel more happy and secure, I think, and she seems more relaxed now; she hasn't had a panic attack in about four days, and she had been having them daily."

Will nodded.

"Hey look, Tess has fallen asleep!"

Will had come up with the little pet name for Tessa almost as soon as he had seen her, and it had stuck really rather quickly for him. Tessa herself also really seemed to like it; she had clapped her hands enthusiastically and announced it several times proudly to anyone who would listen as soon as Will had started to call her it on a regular basis. She really was sweet, and Will really did love her. He was looking forward to watching her grow up more.

"She has. She was probably exhausted – she has been being ridiculously lively all morning and making a mess of the apartment and causing so much havoc that dad had to strap her into her high chair to stop her breaking anything important or worse, hurting herself."

Will chuckled at that and stroked Tessa's hair in a brotherly fashion.

"Typical Tessa. Always wanting to get involved and somehow just causing chaos when she tries to. At least she hasn't done any permanent damage to herself for anyone else or anyone's property or possessions… yet. Touch wood. We can't go tempting fate now or she will start to chew the corners of the Austen."

"Hmm. I wouldn't mind if she destroyed the Austen up here, although Hodge would be furious. Now, if it was the Dickens she took a liking to…"

"No, no, I refuse to even think of such things! No child related to us could ever damage dickens, to do so would be to dishonour our name and be disowned."

"Indeed. I am glad you feel so strongly about Dickens. It restores my faith in humanity – way too many people are into soppy romances these days."

"I agree."

At that moment Tessa snapped open her bright green eyes and yawned sleepily, reaching up towards Will with her tiny hands.

"Can I take her?"

"Yeah, sure, go ahead."

Max lifted the girl up and passed her carefully over to Will, who took her into his arms and plonked her down on his lap, cuddling her close. She giggled happily, and snuggled into him, gripping his arms with her hands rather forcefully in an attempt to cuddle back. It sort of worked. A bit. It was the thought behind the gesture that counted.

"So, has there been any news about Jace?"

Max shook his head.

"No. Dad has been calling and calling and texting over and over again, but there is nothing, no replies or messages, and the calls always go straight to answer phone. Dad reckons that either Jace has turned off his phone in order to ignore us or that he has broken it so hat he doesn't have to speak to use. Either way, it is really upsetting Clary, and so it's making the whole apartment seem really gloomy and depressing."

"That is bad. I wish he hadn't acted like a douche and buggered off like that and done all of that crap to Clary. I actually liked him quite a lot when I first met him, when I didn't know all of that stuff he had done, or hadn't done. He was pretty epic."

"He did set fire to the kitchen, Will."

"I know, and that was part of what made him epic. He acted a bit like a kid, like he understood us." Will sighed. "I guess it was that characteristic of his that really got us in the god awful mess in the first place. Wasn't that what you said? His inability to… to grow up."

"Yes, that is what I have been told. I mean, it is probably very confusing and complicated and difficult to understand. And probably very very private and very very secret since normally dad trusts me with that stuff and he didn't. I am very trustworthy."

He sounded a bit miffed.

"Yeah you are. I'm not, though, I do tend to blab. Hey, that's probably why he didn't tell you." He bumped Max with his shoulder. "He knew that you would tell me, as you would want to confide in me, your wonderful brother," Max snorted. "As your wonderful, fantastic brother, and then he knew that I would just tell anyone I could get my hands on. Though, to be fair, I can keep really big secrets."

Max snorted again.

"Like what, William Bane?"

"Well, I haven't told dad that I know you and dad and that I even know I have a brother, have I?"

Will smirked, and Max nodded defeatedly.

"Okay, fair point, I suppose that you haven't. But still. You do sometimes reveal secrets. Embarrassing secrets. Remember?"

"I have already said I am sorry about that, Max. Several times."

"Hmph."

"Anyway, you'll ask dad about next weekend right? Twelve thirty and two thirty? You will ask?"

"Yes, Will, I shall ask. I probably will be free anyway, but I will aske, I will ask, I will ask…"

Will laughed.

"Okay, enough, stop taking the piss."

"Ooh, language Will!"

Will hit Max over the head with a book – a thin, inexpensive one, naturally, so as not to do any serious damage to either party.

"I already have two dads, Max, I do not need a third, thank you very much, I am already getting the epitome of the evil stepmother."

"I reckon Camille may be more evil than every evil stepmother in every fairy story put together and then timed by two."

"I will have to agree. She is awful. Hey, technically she will be your evil step mom too!"

"Oh, the horror!"

Max laughed as he said it though.

"No, I would prefer it if your kept her to yourself Will."

"Shucks, my evil plan ruined! It appears that I will not be able to scare the evil bitch that is Camille Belcourt off with the hideous terrifying demon that is my brother Maximilian Lightwood! What shall I do?"

"I have told you this already. My name is just Max. Not Maximilian."

"I love the fact that that is what you fret about, and not the rest of that sentence."

"I was just about to go on to that. I am not terrifying."

"No, you are quite right. You are about as scary as a bunny wearing a duck suit. Actually, no, I take that back. Ducks are terrifying too. Hey, I could use an army of ducks to take down Camille! Normally I hate them, but you have to make allowances when it come to such an urgent situation!"

"Only you, Will, only you."

The three of them sat there for the rest of the two hours they had, Will and Max laughing together and sharing quite frankly pointless conversation whilst Tessa giggled and pulled at their hair, tried to crawl off and at one point actually bit Will, which led to a lot of swearing from Will whilst Tessa stared around innocently and Max rolled about on the floor laughing. They draped some ivy over Tessa's hair and then plaited flowers into her locks to make her look like Rapunzel, and overall had a beautiful, carefree and at some moments downright mad afternoon.

When it was finally time for Will to go, he carefully handed back Tessa to his brother and after a quick goodbye hug to both of them he walked out of the greenhouse tower and down the many winding staircases. On the way down, he ran into his dad, and after briefly saying hello and sharing yet another hug he hopped down the final few steps and out of the concealed door, winding his way out of the many bookshelves crammed into the main section of the library and out to the massive double doors that marked the entrance to the Institute. He slipped out of them sneakily to find Magnus waiting for him outside. He said hi to Magnus and then together they walked down the street, hand in hand.

Wait, what?

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><p><em><strong>Okay, I am really sorry, I didn't have time for 5000 but I did write 4000 for you, and I did try really hard to get that much done so please appreciate it. I will write and upload 6000 words, I swear on the angel, once I get to 60 reviews. That will be by the end of Tuesday AT THE LATEST! You can do it! I love you guys! Please review!<strong>_

_**I hope you enjoyed the chapter.**_

_**Lu xxx**_


	17. And So Comes The Morning

_**Heya!**_

_**Okay, so a change in plan because my weeks plans have changed. If I get 65 reviews by Thursdya I will upload 6000 Words. If I get 70+ I will upload more.**_

_**Also, any suggestions? And I have a poll on my profile to find out from whose POV you want the next chapter, as I have writers block, so I want you to help!**__**Please review, and I hope you enjoy!**_

**_Hotlight10: wedding next chapter. And I have put more hints on the hmm in this chapter, if they still haven't helped tell me in a review and I shall fix it/explain._**

**_LondonRose 98: hi! I am glad you are enjoying it, here is your quick update._**

**_L'amore 13: maybe next chapter... and thank you so much! That made me smile._**

**_Luvmusic 87: again, more hints. If you are still confused, again, review and tell me._**

**_Greekgoddess: I shall PM you because your response is going to be long. Thank you so much! You are epic!_**

**_ To my reviewers:xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx _**

_**Lu xxx**_

* * *

><p>Alec was sat at the coffee table, reading the newspaper and sipping nonchalantly at his coffee. It was just the normal Saturday morning, nothing out of the ordinary, nothing especially interesting to do. He was planning to have a lazy day and doing nothing in general, just slobbing around the apartment, watching whatever dreadful daytime TV was on and perhaps reading a book or two. Nothing too strenuous. He wasn't even planning on getting up properly as he didn't have anything planned to do – Clary had already agreed to drop Max off at the Institute at whatever time he was needing to be dropped off at, which was in… just over half an hour, so they would probably be leaving in around ten minutes or so, just to be safe.<p>

Sure enough, about ten seconds later Clary and Max emerged, Max dressed nicely in a green shirt and black skinny jeans, and Clary balancing Tessa on her hip, the small girl reaching around precariously. They both uttered good mornings to Alec, who responded and carried on reading about some strike somewhere that was delaying a load of flights that he didn't really care about. There were sounds of clunks and crashes from the kitchen, but Alec decided it would probably be for the best that he cut out these noises – Clary would never let anything too disastrous happen, and as for general chaos – well, he was pretty sure he just didn't want to know.

It was because he was so absorbed in ignoring all sounds that he nearly missed his phone going off.

He finally realised that someone was calling him on about the third or fourth ring, and swiped the phone out of his back pocket, hastily pressing the answer button and putting the phone up to his ear. He would recognise the personalised ring tone anywhere. His heart almost stopped when he heard the voice.

"Yeah, yeah of course it's me, who else would it be?"

"What the hell have you been doing?! You are so stupid, you are so fucking stupid! I am going to kill you when I get my hands on you…"

"You think you deserve my help?"

"What?!"

"No, I'm still not convinced; you had better have a pretty good excuse for the past _month_!"

"What, no, you know that's not true, he's dead…"

"He is dead, you saw the death certificate. _I _saw the death certificate."

"Okay, okay, I'll be there as soon as I can. See you in a minute."

"Bye."

Alec stood up suddenly, running into his room to pull on a pair of jeans and a tshirt and hopping into the kitchen whilst still lacing up one combat boot. Clary turned around from where she had been quickly feeding Tessa a piece of toast before getting ready to leave, her eyebrow raised in a questioning fashion.

"What was that about?"

"Something urgent has come up, and I have to go like now. Um, I am not sure how long I am gonna be, so I'm gonna take my key so you can lock up when you take Max."

"What is it that is so urgent?"

"Just some business with someone about… about something. Nothing you need to worry your pretty little head about – at least not yet, anyway."

"What do you mean not yet? Alec?!"

"Clary, just forget about it, okay, it isn't anything that you need to get yourself worked up about. Honestly."

"Okay, but…"

"Clary, I'm sorry but I really need to go now, can we speak about this later when I know more and hopefully the situation has been resolved."

Clary threw up her hands in exasperation.

"Fine, go ahead. I'll see you later."

Alec shot her an apologetic look before grabbing his keys off of the side, yanking on his jacket mercilessly and stalking out of the apartment and straight into the lift. He ran his hands through his hair in frustration as the lift began its normally quick but today impossibly slow descent down into the depths of the building. He hated lying to Clary, but sometimes it really was the only way to get things done and to sort things out, because where Clary went a wave of destruction inevitably followed, normally immediately and with an immensely destructive force.

* * *

><p>Will was waiting in the Institute, tapping his foot on the floor and repeatedly pacing back and forth in the entryway, waiting for Max.<p>

Today was the day all shit broke loose. Or everything came together. Or his life became messed up. Or everyone hated him. Really, there were so many possible outcomes of the day that it hurt Will's brain to think about them all, but he really couldn't stop analyzing each one over and over in painstaking detail, sending his mind spinning into a ridiculous overdrive. He couldn't wait for the wedding to be over, but at the same time, he was dreading it. This day would change his life. He was sure of it. It was a fact set in stone. And not a weak stone like chalk, something practically indestructible like granite. It sucked.

Magnus had been pretty pissed – again, again, _Magnus_ – that Will had decided to go to the Institute and only turn up just before the ceremony was about to begin, but he had accepted defeat and acknowledged that there was nothing he was going to be able to do to stop him, so he guessed he would just have to let his son be a precocious child and do his own things because he wanted to and didn't care about anyone other than himself, resulting in ruining his wedding day. That had stung a little bit, okay, a lot when Magnus – _Magnus_ – had said it, but Will knew that what he was doing was in the best interests of Magnus, and thinking that, even if he himself wasn't sure he believed it anymore, helped take away a little bit of the guilt away. Because Will was doing something special for Magnus, but Magnus could not know and potentially would never know at least part of it. But it had to be done.

He squinted down at his watch again, still pacing around in a restless manner. Twenty five past twelve. Max should be here in five minutes now. He couldn't be late. He couldn't be. He wasn't allowed to be, it wasn't possible, if he was it would ruin everything and the plan would go to pot and everyone would end up hating him and then he would be sent to boarding school on the other side of the world where everyone would still hate him but he wouldn't know them and his whole life would be ruined and….

He needed to stop. Panicking and catastrophizing about the whole situation was not going to help.

He needed to keep a level head and focus. He needed to actually breathe, that would be helpful, and stop worrying about Camille being evil… no, he couldn't do that when she was still in his brain. He needed to stop thinking about Camille and Magnus and think about his dad, about Clary, about all of the other people who still loved him even if Camille was turning Magnus away from him, corrupting their relationship with each other. Of all the people who wouldn't let him just be turned away, who stood by him, who made him laugh and made time to see him, who he could chat to easily and talk about the silliest things and they still wouldn't mind at all.

Twelve twenty seven. Three minutes.

Max. Max would always there for him and would always be there for him. He wouldn't let the mere issue of a few thousand miles of sea get in the way. He wouldn't let a bitch of an evil step mother get in the way. Max knew what it meant to love someone unconditionally, to care for someone no matter what they did because they meant enough to you to be worth keeping through all the bad times in search of the good ones. He would stand by Will, and even if they were only eight years old they could be a bloody stubborn and determined pair of eight year olds if that was what they so desired.

Twelve twenty eight. Two minutes.

Alec. Alec was a great dad, laughing and smiling all the time, not caring if Will had a different opinion to him or a different perspective, and always taking the contrasts into consideration when he made decisions. His dad, who never got cross or disappointed with him if he did something wrong, and sat and talked about it with him instead because that made Will listen and shouting and insults and being scared really didn't. His dad who just understood everything, no matter how crazy or mad it sounded. Who didn't ask questions when Will didn't want questions, who did when he didn't mind to try and fix things, and who answered everything Will asked him to providing he was able to do so to help them both know each other well, like a father and son should.

Twelve twenty nine. One minute.

Will had better get here on time, or none of this was going to work. And then it would be back to square one.

* * *

><p>Alec walked up along the path towards the familiar figure standing in front of him. In this light, he looked very much like the angel to whom he was always compared, his golden locks glowing softly, his defined figure standing in a pose that looked like he was ready to so some avenging even when it wasn't the clichéd, overused vision of the hands on hips. As Alec drew closer, he turned, and the gold of his eyes shone bright in the patch of sunlight he was standing in, burning bright in the centre of the path that was covered in a spider's web of shadows.<p>

"Okay, cut the crap Jace, what the hell is going on?"

Jace sighed as Alec drew up in front of him, one hand hanging limply by his side and the other clutching the elbow in a gesture extremely uncharacteristic of Jace. He had shadows under his eyes, his face pale, and he looked skinnier than he had the last time Alec had seen him, almost ill, his eyes dull and lifeless in an equally miserable face. It looked almost… almost as if he had been crying, but Alec decided not to ask about it. It would probably just piss him off, and make him put up his walls again, which appeared to have at least temporarily have fallen.

"Um… well, you know about me and Clary…"

"Yeah, she's been staying at my house. She is completely broken, especially since you just disappeared."

His tone was unusually cold to his own ears, and surprisingly steady. Jace gulped, and shifted around uneasily.

"I needed separation, complete temporary separation, to sort myself out. I went out, travelled about New York crashing with mates and going to as many decent job interviews as I could. But, I've got offered one. I am working at some magazine somewhere as a model."

Alec couldn't help but laugh at that, because it was a job that Jace was so obviously suited to.

"I've been back home for a week now. And so I've sorted that out. And I was… I was actually about to visit yours to see if you knew where Clary was so that I could fix things with her when…"

Alec's eyes narrowed.

"When what, Jace? What happened?"

"That was when I saw my dad. I knew it was him. He is identical to the photos, and I sort of remembered him anyway."

"So, he didn't die then."

"No…n-no, he didn't."

Jace's voice, in fact the entirety of his body, had begun to softly shake, his eyes glassing over. Alec tried desperately not to let his jaw drop open and gulped down a gasp. It would not be helpful. Instead, he moved forward and clapped a hand on his brother's shoulder.

"Come on. Shall we walk?"

Jace nodded, his eyes looking down at the ground.

"So, what did he say to you?"

"He told me who he was, although I obviously already knew that. He said he was sorry that I had thought he was dead, although he didn't really sound sorry, and that he was happy to see me again. He wanted me to work for him and to get to know him, and something else but I can't remember what…"

The way that Jace had said the last section made it painfully clear that he remembered the extra detail with crystal clarity but was extremely reluctant to share the information with Alec. So Alec didn't press or pry. He just carried on walking down the shady path with Jace, walking ever closer to the area where is opened out into the glorious, golden autumn light.

"So, what did you say to all that then?"

"I declined it all. I want nothing to do with my dad, and I made that perfectly clear. Robert is more of a father to me, and he is a prick."

Alec chuckled.

"Okay, I have to agree with you. So that was that then?"

"Yep. He stalked off and gave me a look, but I'm pretty sure that he is gone."

"Well, that's good. Are you gonna talk to Clary about all of this?"

"Urm, yeah, I think so."

"Do you want to talk to her now?"

"What?"

"I can text her now to meet us here if you want me here for moral support if you would like?"

"Yeah, yeah, that would be good."

Alec flipped out his phone and sent a quick message to Clary before looking up again. They were in the slightly soft but still very bright golden autumn sun, lighting up this area of the park. The grass was cut short, the occasional daisy dotted here and there and adding a splash of contrast to the bright green of the blades.

On top of the grass were rows and rows of white chairs, and in theses rows hundreds of people were milling around and taking their seats. Alec grabbed Jace by the collar and pulled him behind a tree.

* * *

><p>Will released a breath that he didn't realise that he has been holding as Max burst through the sdouble doors. Through the gap Will could see Clary walking away with on hand gripping Tessa's and the other flicking on her phone. Good. She was gone. That would make things a lot less complicated and difficult. Max walked up to his brother as gave him a wave.<p>

"Hi. How are you?"

"I'm okay. What about you?"

"I am good. Look, I am sorry that we were nearly late, dad had to go out and Tessa was messing about on the subway and…"

"It is fine, just as long as you are here now. We have somewhere we need to be going."

Max looked confused.

"I thought we were reading."

"No. We are not. We are going to go on a visit to the park."

Max's eyes narrowed.

"Why?"

"We need to attend a wedding."

* * *

><p><strong><em>What did you think? Review and tell me! And don't forget to take the poll to help me, else I don't know how long it will be to the next chapter x :(<em>**

**_Lu xxx _**


	18. Waiting

_**I am really sorry this is late and stupidly short, but I have had a lot of work and writers block. H**__**ere is something now.**_

_**Happy birthday Victoria!**_

_**Guest 1 – an update, if pathetic.**_

_**L'amore13 – thank you! I am glad you like it.**_

_**KenzieAnn04 – soon. Soon. But Malec cannot be rushed.**_

_**GreekGoddess – I will PM.**_

_**AsraStar – thanks. Here is your update.**_

_**Hotlight10(Victoria) – no more waiting! And it is important that he is in that bush.**_

_** – next chapter confrontation. Promise. **_

_**LondonRose – Sort of like your idea for POVs.**_

_**Thalicoforever – just take a look.**_

_**10 REVIEWS! If I get up to 75 reviews on this (or whenever I next update, I don't mind) I will upload 7000 words for definite on/by the 29**__**th**__**. Deal? I didn't give myself long enough last time. I am so sorry. Please forgive me?!**_

_**Lu xxx**_

_**The hmmm thing – Will has started calling Alec dad and Magnus Magnus.**_

* * *

><p>Camille smiled as one of her 'friends' – people who followed her around to bask in reflected glory and bitched about her behind her back – laced up the back of her expensive, heavy dress and tied it at the bottom. It was a concoction of white silk and pearls, the skirts gathered at the sides and then at the bottom flowing freely into a very long, but not ridiculously so, train. There were diamonds and pearls stitched into a swirling glittery design at the top of the bodice, and the whole ensemble was to be set off with a diamond tiara that had been Magnus's grandmothers – she had been some sort of important figure somewhere in the world – once she had had her hair done, and silk gloves that went up to her elbows.<p>

"Is the hair stylist ready?"

She asked regally, glaring at one of her bridesmaids, who were dressed in blood red floor length dresses with black sashes. She smiled back sweetly.

"Yes, Camille, she is just about to start, and so is the lady who is doing your make up."

"Good. I want you to make sure that it is perfect."

"Yes Camille."

She closed her eyes as someone got to work on her face, perfecting the perfections, smoothing over the non existent flaws. Everything had to be perfect today; because today was the day everything came into place. Not even that brat Will would be able to stop it. Finally, Camille would well and truly become part of New York's elite – she was practically one anyway, but with Magnus as her husband, it would be official.

She was sat like that, perfectly still, perfectly sharp in the mind, eyes still closed, for the entire hour that it took. And when she was ready, she stroked the ruby necklace, the necklace that was part of a pair, that Magnus had given her, off of the table, and fastened the heavy jewel around her neck. Then she stood up, and she walked out of the apartment, the girls trailing after her like a trickle of blood. Time to rule.

This city was hers for the taking.

* * *

><p>When Alec looked again, peering out from behind the tree with one arm wrapped around Jace and the other covering his mouth to stop him from speaking, he realised that the chairs weren't white at all but black and covered in thousands of diamantes that glittered in the sunlight. There was a red carpet and red and black glittery streamers and lanterns swaying through the trees around the clearing. The seats were slowly filling, the occupants in black and red. It was gorgeous, and he had seen it all before, because whenever Magnus had been planning his dream wedding to Alec, it had looked like this. So this was Magnus's dream wedding. Hell, by the end of their relationship it had been Alec's dream wedding. But it wasn't Alec that Magnus was going to promise away his life to. It was Camille.<p>

Alec loosened his arms and Jace burst free, not speaking but instead peering around the tree below Alec. It would have been funny, like when they used to play spies, but it somehow was not.

"Alec…why are we staring at the wedding and not moving on?"

"Magnus."

"Yeah, I get that romantic stuff reminds you of Magnus, but…"

"Magnus."

"Alec, are you going crazy?"

" No. Look. It's Magnus. It's his wedding. Today is the day he marries Camille. In the ceremony he said he always would have wanted for me and him. If it ever got to it."

"Oh. Well, then, we should go."

"No. I'm staying."

Jace sighed and ran a hand through his hair, still in spy mode.

"Seriously?"

"Yes."

"Am I not going to be able to persuade you otherwise?"

"No."

"Well then, let's get comfy. And wait for the show to start. And for Clary to turn up."

"Good."

Jace sighed.

"Look, Alec, I know that this is big, but… why do you want to stay? Why do you want to see this? Why do you want to put yourself through it?"

"I just do. I can't miss it. It wouldn't be right."

"Right..."

"Jace please just leave it!"

"Alright, alright!"

* * *

><p>"Will, this is a terrible idea, I don't know why you dragged me here, this is stupid!"<p>

"No it isn't."

The two boys were sat side by side right at the back of the set of chairs, which were glittering in the sunlight – Camille and Magnus had really overdone it on that front. In fact, they had overdone everything, but that was their style. Will had finally, after a lot of whining, gotten Max to go to the event but he clearly wasn't happy about it. But he was there, and that was the main thing. Everything was coming into place.

* * *

><p>Magnus stood at the altar, fiddling with his cuffs and waiting for his bride. Today, now was when he married Camille.<p>

And there she was.

She smiled slightly at him as she walked up the aisle, looking beautiful, looking majestic, her red lips and the necklace decorating her throat the only sparks of brightness. She was beautifully pale. She drew up to him and grabbed his hands, pecking him softly on the lips, giggling a little. And as many incentives as she may have had to marry him, in that one moment she appeared to be truly happy to see him. She drew back, and her eyes glittered.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today…"

Magnus stared into Camille's beautiful green orbs that danced and span and had mysterious and fascinating depths which he only dreamed of knowing fully. Her eyelashes, meticulously curled and painted to bring out the brightness, the thin line of black that framed her eyes with not even the tiniest flaw or kink to make her not quite perfect. Her lips were shocking red, as per usual, one hint of normality. Here it was. The jump. All he had to do was step off into this abyss with Camille. Nothing could stop them.

"But first, if any one here knows any reason why this man and this woman may not be married, speak now, or forever hold your peace."

"I know one."

Magnus and Camille whipped their heads around. Will was stood up, chin up proudly, and a boy who looked exactly like Magnus was standing by his side.

This couldn't be happening.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Sorry its short, but I felt I ought to give you something. xxx<strong>_


	19. Hell In A Handbasket

_**Bonjour mes amis.**_

_**Okay, not 7000 because I thought that this would be a good place to end, but it is the 29th. Also, can we make it to 85 reviews? Would 90 be pushing it? **_

_**In other news, a proposal about updates: would you like 7000 Words once a fortnight, 3000 a week or any other idea? Tell me in your reviews as I would love to be more regular for you darlings.**_

_**Also, I am newly on tumblr, I am theduckconspiracy so feel free to check me out on that.**_

_**Sarahps: *smiles*. I am glad you enjoyed it. I love writing cliffhangers. There is a sort of one in this chapter too. X**_

_**Londonrose: glad you like it. I was as fast as possible. X**_

_**Victoria: *evil laugh*. X**_

_**Percamalec: thank you! And it made me a little sad writing it :(. X**_

_**Thalicoforever: *evil laugh*. X **_

_**Carrie: thank you! I am so happy you think that :). X**_

**_D: thanks. I know I have a tendency to rush things, and I am trying to get better. I think this chapter may be a little better, but the ending certainly is weak. X_**

**_Guest: thank you for reading it! X_**

**_Greekgoddess: I HAVEN'T STOPPED WRITING DON'T WORRY! I have just been quite busy recently. As usual, your review was lovely, so thank you very much. And yes. I am invading your mind! Not really, but I am glad you loved the wedding description. It was inspired by your ideas, so thank you for that too! X_**

**_To all who review: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx _**

* * *

><p>Clary had joined Alec and Jace just as the wedding ceremony had started, and she had dragged him of to some other tree to have a conversation, leaving Alec on his own to watch events unfurl. He hand slumped down in front of the tree, watching from the cover of a bush as Camille walked up the aisle. He had seen the way Magnus had smiled at presumably his bride smiling back at him, the rare smile that he gave when he was truly happy. It had broken his heart, because it had been that moment that had confirmed that Magnus had given his entirely to Camille in a way that he had never quite done to Alec.<p>

Now the ceremony was just getting underway, and if he strained he could just make out the priests, voice, if not his words. He sighed, putting his head in his hands. He had known when he had argued with Jace that it had been an appalling idea to stay here, that it would do more harm than good and most likely crush him into a million tiny pieces, but something had compelled him to stay. He didn't know why, but he felt this was something that he needed to witness – his Magnus moving on. Maybe it would help him do the same. But Alec didn't want to move on. He just wanted Magnus back. That was clearly never going to happen now.

Just then another voice rang out into the silence of the congregation. One instantly recognisable, instantly familiar. Alec snapped his head up to see a small, black haired boy in a dark suit stand up proudly, dragging up another boy with similar hair besides him, and Magnus and Camille whipping their heads around to face the two of them. Even from the distance he could see the shock in Magnus's eyes as he turned, and suddenly Alec knew exactly what had been said – Will had decided to give a reason against the marriage. Furthermore, he had dragged Max to the wedding, which to be fair was to be expected of Will. So Magnus was probably properly confused on two counts. Alec pricked up his ears in an attempt to hear the rest of the conversation as Magnus stormed down the aisle towards his sons, Camille sauntering along more regally behind him.

"…do you think you are _doing_ Will?!"

"Stopping the wedding."

Alec almost – almost – smiled to himself. Will said it bluntly, and simply, as if it was the most normal and expected thing in the world.

"Yes, I gathered that!" Sarcasm dripped from Magnus's voice like a melting lemon ice cube – it was also very sour. "But _why_?!"

"Because I have a valid reason. We have a valid reason. And I will not be able to hold my peace."

Alec saw Max try to look away, to hide himself from Magnus, but he clearly hadn't done so fast enough because Magnus's jaw dropped open. He quickly closed it again and launched explosively back at Will.

"What do you mean we? What does your best friend have to do with this?"

"I just thought I'd bring along moral support."

Will blagged. He actually sounded pretty convincing. Magnus's eyes narrowed.

"So what do you suppose this reason is then?"

"You don't know?"

"Will if you are going to go off on to some rant about how Camille doesn't love me and she is just using me again I do not want to hear it."

"I wasn't talking about Camille."

At least Alec thought that was what he had said. He said it very quietly. Almost inaudible. He was just trying to lip read.

"What?"

"I wasn't talking about _Camille_." He stated more confidently. "I am talking about you."

Magnus just looked confused.

"What do you mean?"

"You aren't in love with Camille."

Camille, who had been watching the whole scenario with a disjointed interest and had been picking at her nails, clearly feeling that the whole thing would blow over in a matter of minutes, suddenly stood up straight, nails forgotten. She walked towards Will.

"What do you mean that your father isn't in love with me?"

"He isn't in love with you. Magnus is in love with someone else."

Magnus raised his eyebrows in a practiced manner, though Alec could make out that his hands were shaking. Will and his speech were definitely having the desired effect.

"Am I now?"

"Yes."

"And who, pray, am I in love with over Camille? Who could I possibly…"

"Him."

"What?"

"My dad."

"What?"

"Magnus Bane, you are still in love with Alexander Lightwood."

And then the world went still.

* * *

><p>Magnus's mind exploded. Every colour imaginable but blue erupted into his vision, swirling and flashing and crashing and exploding into one and other like paint balls. He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to clear it, to clear the dizzy feeling that was engulfing him, drowning him in memories and fears that he thought that he would never have to worry about. He blinked a few times, and all of the colour began to seep away, flowing back into his skull painfully. He looked around to try and clear it entirely and suddenly in the bushes in the distance there was a flash of blue. He grabbed his temples, opened his eyes and stared at Will. Will stared back.<p>

In that moment he completely to disguise anything, to pretend he didn't know what Will was talking about it. Instead, he asked the only thing that came to mind.

"How on earth do you know about Alec?"

* * *

><p>Alec had taken a sharp intake of breath when he had heard his name. He had been expecting it, but it still held some sort of shock impact in the fact that Will had actually said it to Magnus, who knew nothing. But if Alec was shocked, it was nothing compared to Magnus. He appeared to blank out for a few seconds, and then he blinked a couple of times, clutching his temples, looking very, very confused and something else that Alec couldn't quite place from the distance he was at. For a moment it even appeared that he had stared right at Alec, but he put it down to a trick of the light. Magnus looked down straight at Will; everything else appeared to be nonexistent to him. At first he looked conflicted, and then again something else.<p>

"How on earth do you know about Alec?"

Will did not break his gaze, but kept on staring right up at his dad.

Damn he was strong.

"That afternoon, Max recognised you. And he told me everything the next day. Who you were, who he was. Everything that you were too cowardly to say, he said it to me. He gave me back my family, _Magnus_, whilst you have just given me Hell because you are again too cowardly to admit that all of this with Camille is just a distraction from the real person you love because you are too proud to admit that you were wrong and too weak to try and fix the heartbreak which you have instead buried in this façade!"

He said the last sentence in a single breath, his voice rising from calm and logical to a hoarse shout.

Magnus look dumbfounded. Camille was stood blinking, as if she had just come out into bright sunlight. Under other circumstances it might have been funny.

The priest had put down his book and was watching the whole thing in fascination.

Most of the guests looked like they didn't know what to do with themselves.

Max tried to sit down but Will grabbed onto his elbow, and a glint of fear passed over his face. Max saw this, and kept standing. He was standing by his brother when he needed him. Alec was filled with pride.

Eventually Magnus turned away from his son and everyone and faced the trees just right of Alec, walking to the end of the aisle with his hand over his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose. He looked weary, worn down, very different from how he had merely minutes ago when he had been smiling and happy and carefree and supposedly in love. He didn't look in love now. He looked destroyed. Broken. Like he had been crushed.

He took in a deep breath, or at least, he appeared to. He put his hands on either side of his nose, and appeared to be contemplating something hard to contemplate, or making a decision that was hard to make, but had to be. He closed his eyes and sighed a weary sigh, as if he had accepted something that was inevitable but soul destroying. Maybe it was. It probably was. It almost definitely was. There was no doubt that it was. His eyes snapped open; he dropped his hands, and then turned away. It hurt Alec to see him like this, it really hurt, but it would end up much worse if he intervened. So he sat tight. He didn't move. He couldn't.

Magnus walked up towards where Will had moved into the aisle with Max trailing behind him nervously but determinedly, shaking slightly but not moving away from Will. Camille looked up from where she had been standing bored and stood resolutely next to but apart from Will. Magnus drew to a halt in front of all three of them, his hands clasped in front of him in a solemn manner. His head had been bowed, and now he raised it to face him.

And took Camille's hands in his own.

* * *

><p>Clary leant against a tree and raised her eyebrows at Jace.<p>

"I'm listening. So talk. You have one chance."

She could see the pain in his eyes, she knew that something was wrong, but he had launched off into the darkness for an entire month. Hadn't spoken to her once. Hadn't even let her know that he was okay in a simple text message. He had just abandoned his wife and his daughter and gone off to do goodness knows what after he had already dumped them in a fresh form of hell. If it hadn't been for Alec, Clary had no idea what she would have done. And she didn't exactly like the idea of contemplating it either.

"Well…first of all, I got a job?"

He suggested tentatively. He was clearly very nervous.

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"What?"

"Umm…potentiallyitsmodellingatthismassivefashionmagazinethatyoureadandIthinkmaybeBaneistheeditorof."

Clary raised her eyebrows and looked at him.

"Care to repeat that at slower than the speed of sound?"

Jace gulped, and took a deep breath.

"I have got a job modelling at that fashion magazine you really liked. I mean, as a last resort. I did try to get a proper job first…"

He trailed off.

"Does it bring in a reliable source of income?"

"Should do, unless I screw up really bad, which I do not intend on doing."

Clary sighed, and wrapped her arms around her body.

"Well it is a start, I suppose, and we can talk more about it later. But it still offers to no explanation to why you disappeared off of the face of the earth, Jace."

She didn't sound angry, at least to her own ears. She just sounded exasperated and tired and fed up. And by the look on Jace's face, it was how he interpreted it too.

"Well, I felt like you needed a break from me. After the way you sounded that night…I thought you wanted me gone until I sorted myself out. Clary, I genuinely thought that was what you wanted, so I crashed with Jordan, I smashed my phone up so I wasn't tempted – well, I kept the sim – and then when I was finally ready I got a new phone with a small bit of my first pay packet and came to find you again. I am really sorry Clary, I honestly thought it was what you wanted, I didn't realise that you didn't… I am sorry Clary, I was stupid, and oh God…"

He honestly looked like he felt wretched about the whole issue. He was pale, dark rings under his eyes, indicating that he hadn't eaten much or slept mush in the past couple of days, and there were faint tracks on his face, like the ghosts of long forgotten scars, indicating that he had been crying. He hung his head dismally; his right hand on his left elbow. His left hand was shaking ever so slightly. Clary made up her mind.

"Oh, Jace. You are mad, you know that? Mad in a cute and sometimes annoying way."

"Does this mean I am forgiven?"

"Of course. It doesn't mean that I'm not angry, but of course. Just please stop with these bad things with good intentions. They are becoming a bit…stressful."

Jace half sobbed, half laughed.

And then Clary remembered.

He had seemed really off. Really, mega off. And he had been crying. And not sleeping. And not eating. Not good.

"Jace, what's the matter."

"Dad."

"Jace, you haven't seen him since you were eight, and I know that having anyone like that die can be hard but it was over two years ago, and you never knew him…"

Jace shook his head, his eyes becoming a little glassy. Jace Herondale never cried.

"He isn't dead."

"Jace, isn't it a bit late for denial?"

"He isn't dead, Clary."

"Jace…"

"I saw him this morning. He came up and talked to me, useless crap, but…"

"You saw him?"

She half whispered.

"Yeah. Valentine in the flesh. He is just as much a dick still as everyone said, but it was like…"

"Like seeing a ghost?"

He nodded weakly.

"Oh Jace…"

She rushed forward and enveloped him in her arms, standing on her tiptoes and clinging on to him. He grabbed her back desperately. She could remember the nights after he had found out, when she was heavily pregnant with Tessa, and he had been either just blank, sitting for hours on end and not moving, not doing anything and just staring ahead unblinkingly, or a mess, kneeling on the floor and trying his hardest not to loose it completely. She had sat there with him those nights, helping him to desperately keep it together, holding him close and whispering softly into his ear when he couldn't, and everything in between. His dad had meant a lot to him, in a strange way. He had been the only one for Jace when he was growing up, and even after Jace had been adopted at seven, he had still seen the man for a while. Losing him had hurt Jace, and Clary couldn't bear to have to see him go through it again; but she was terrified that she would have to.

Just then Jace's phone beeped, signalling a text. Talk about bad timing. He drew back again, once more sob laughing.

"Do you mind if I check this?"

She shook her head, realising that she was crying too.

"No, that's fine."

He pulled it out of his back pocket, pressing a few buttons and scrolling down, and then with a final flourished press stopped. Clary watched as he quickly read the few lines of writing, his eyes getting gradually larger by the second. By the end of it he looked like and owl. Clary tried no to laugh, but instantly found it a lot easier to be serious when Jace turned the phone around to show her.

"Oh shit. We have got to go find Alec."

* * *

><p>Magnus took Camille's gloved hands firmly in his own, rubbing the backs of them gently with his thumbs and looking up into the acid green eyes that drifted occasionally into his dreams and had seemed to invade all of his nightmares since he was fifteen. She had stayed up with him all night talking about the past, stuck with him even when he had been less than nice to him, and looked after Will for years. Really, there was no choice in it. The option was clear. It took him a couple of seconds to decide what to do, and then he closed his eyes. When he snapped them open, Camille was smiling slightly at him expectantly, hopefully.<p>

He moved his hands forward carefully. At first the smile continued, and as Magnus slid his hands slowly back it turned to a frown and then a scowl. Her mouth hung open in uncharacteristically ugly look when he withdrew his hands completely. Magnus reached up his right hand and shut her mouth gently, and then lowered it again, back to the clasped position, looking into her evil eyes.

"What is it they say, Camille? Salt over the left shoulder into the face of the devil? Well this like salt in open wounds. Stinging even when you can't feel it. And stinging when you can, too."

"What do you mean, Magnus? What are you on about?"

Her voice was shaking slightly, her green eyes threatening to glisten. Then they glassed over. She looked confused and angry and a bit distraught. Magnus had never really thought that Camille could have feelings that deep.

He turned to face his sons, Max still hiding, Will looking up at him, angry and confused. He looked into those blue eyes that reminded him so much of Alec, the colour of the sky at twilight, the colour of the sun shining on the stormy ocean, the colour of a raven when the sun glistens on it like oil. Will looked at him with those beautiful eyes, and they showed all of his emotions, everything he felt.

"I'm sorry."

He chucked his right hand over his left shoulder.

"And there goes all of the salt. Goodbye, Camille. I want your shit out of my apartment by tonight, and I don't ever want to see your face again. I made a mistake taking you after Alec. I made a mistake taking you when I was with Alec. And that mistake ends right now. Okay, right now."

"Magnus…"

"I do not want to hear the crap anymore Camille. I don't. And I won't. _Goodbye_."

Camille sauntered off down towards the altar, throwing her bouquet on the floor, muttering under her breath, her shirts ripping and her makeup smudging as a tear ran down her cheek. But Magnus wasn't looking at her. He was looking at his sons. Max was looking nervous, and Will's eyes were sparkling, his mouth broken into a grin. Magnus twitched the corner of his mouth up at him.

"Go to the Institute with Max. I'll collect you later. Get Hodge to look after you until then, okay?"

Will nodded.

And then Magnus turned on his heels and walked towards the trees, the riot of greens now faded to oranges and browns. Just like his life. Since Alec, it had lost its colour, even when he was specifically trying to brighten it up, like on the day that he had proposed. Alec had been the real colour in Magnus Bane's life, and with Alec he had had the Magnus spark, the thing that made him exciting and full of life. Some remained but he had felt it bleed from him gradually as the years had gone by, just like the colour bled from trees in autumn.

There was the flash of blue again as Magnus rushed towards the trees ever faster, wanting to get away from the crowds of people and just be alone. He stopped, and tried to blink the dots of colour away, but they wouldn't go. Then they blinked at him. And that freaked him out. He broke off into a run into the forest, crashing through the branches, snagging his suit, the black that Camille had made him wear. The only splash of colour he had was the red bow tie around his neck. Magnus grabbed his jacket and threw it off, still running. He couldn't face anything just yet. Not just yet.

He was getting further and further into the trees. He was totally lost. It was dark here, the trees almost entirely blotting out the light, but he refused to stop, refused to try and figure it out. He just ran forwards, not looking back. He had been going for five minutes when there was a sparkle of light in the distance, and he could see the road, and people walking past it. He slumped down against a tree, undoing the bow tie and wrapping his arms around his knees, putting his forehead onto them. He was exhausted, mentally and physically and emotionally. He felt the darkness playing with him before it finally engulfed him, and he slumped to the ground.

* * *

><p>Alec blinked back the tears as those confused golden green eyes stared at him for a split second. It only took a split second. Just long enough to see the hurt and pain and confusion in them before the man took of into the trees next to him. He rubbed his eyes to get rid of any hint of moisture and put the object into his jeans pocket. He needed to move on. He had to, or he was never going to be able to live his life fully. But he just didn't know how to.<p>

A sudden rustle from behind made him jump; he turned around to find Jace and Clary, who had clearly sorted out their differences, running towards him quickly, both looking incredibly worried. He staggered to his feet, using the tree to help him up, and dusted off his jeans as they regained their breath. He had just got the last few leaves off when Jace spoke up.

"Alec, we have to go. Now. No negotiation."

"Why?"

"This."

Jace pulled his phone out of the back pocket of his jeans and showed it to Alec. It was frozen on a text, about five lines long. Five lines that made Alec's vision go temporarily white. He blinked and rubbed his eyes with his thumb and forefinger before facing Jace and Clary again. Both of them had gone very pale, as Alec could only assume that he had done too – mind you, Jace had looked pretty pale and like death that morning anyway.

"Okay, I see your point. I'll just get Max and Will, and then we can go…"

"Alec, we haven't got the time!"

"Yes we have. They're right over there."

"Oh…right…what?"

"I'll explain on the way. Can I just get them now?"

"Yeah, yeah sure, um, yeah."

"Okay. One minute."

He crashed through the bushes and towards the wedding guests, who were all milling around, clearly unsure as to what to do with themselves. No one noticed as he walked towards his two sons, who were standing talking in an animated manner to each other at the end of the red carpeted aisle. He smiled at Will's attire – it had clearly been influenced by Magnus, with it looking every so slightly like leather, and blue, and sparkly. It looked good on him. As Alec walked right up to the pair of them Will turned – he had obviously seen him out of the corner of his eye.

"Dad!"

He exclaimed, and rushed forward into his arms.

"Dad, why are you here? I was sure that you and Max didn't know…"

"Um, I didn't, I just stumbled here, it's a long story, but we need to go. Now. All of us."

"Oh, okay."

By this point Max had appeared at Will's shoulder.

"What's going on?"

"We're all going, now. Come on, quickly."

"Why?"

"On the way. Okay. On the way."

Alec grabbed Will and Max, one with each hand, and began striding determinedly across the grass to where Jace and Clary were waiting. Will smiled as soon as he saw them, and waved as they got closer. He really liked his family. Alec supposed that after growing up with just Magnus and Camille – if you could count her as family - having a whole set of uncles and aunts and cousins must be great. Well, time to go get some more.

* * *

><p>Clary was regretting having dropped Tessa of at Maureen's now. I had seemed a good idea at the time, but now that they day was progressing she really just wished that she could have her little girl with her. But it was no matter, nothing could be done now.<p>

The group of them, Clary, Jace, Alec, Will and Max had decided to split up and go in two separate cabs, Clary and Jace in one and Alec in the other. The two of them were sat in a comfortable silence – Clary never tended to stay mad at Jace for too long, and this time he had actually done something to sort his mistakes out, which was new, so she was feeling slightly more inclined to be nice to him than as was usual after an argument.

It may have been comfortable, but the atmosphere was still a little tense; partially because Clary couldn't quite get over the fact that what Jace had done was a very big deal, even when she was trying to pass it off as nothing – she expected that the full rage and seriousness of the situation would come up at some point later, but for now it was being ignored – and also due to what they were travelling towards. In the text Simon had been brief and had said that currently things weren't atrocious – but he mentioned that it could have changed at any moment. Clary really hoped things hadn't gotten any worse, because that had the potential to be catastrophic for the sort-of-family.

The cab turned yet another corner, and Clary found herself internally screaming for it to go faster, to get her there faster. As if he was telepathic – or potentially because he was fed up getting stuck behind people – the driver slammed his foot down and they were going at an almost frightening speed, hurtling along at a pace that made her want to throw up. But she didn't, and pretty quickly it was pulling up alongside the unloading bays of the Beth Israel.

Clary fumbled for the door handle and yanked the thing open, practically jumping out of the vehicle and onto the sidewalk. Jace followed swiftly after and the cab sped off into the distance again, and out of sight; but none of that really mattered. Clary's eyes continued to scan the area, desperately searching between the many people for the familiar mop of brown hair and lopsided glasses that was Simon. Eventually she spotted him, pacing around nervously and running his hands through his hair desperately just outside the doors, and pushed her was through the teeming crowds of people.

"Simon!"

She called, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear and halting abruptly in front of him.

"Clary?"

"Simon, what's happened?"

"Well, James has been born."

"Oh my god Simon, congratulations!"

Clary screamed, and enveloped him in a massive hug, standing on her tiptoes to reach his neck.

"Nice one."

Said Jace, who had clapped him on the back. If Simon was surprised to see Jace then he didn't show it.

"But…but Izzy…there were some complications. They reckon that it was eclamsia and well…Iz…she's in a coma."

Clary gasped, and Jace swore colourfully. Simon looked like he was about to cry, so Clary reached up and hugged him forcefully just as someone behind him began to growl.

"Are you fucking serious?!"

Simon looked terrified. Alec looked so angry that Clary expected that he would probably be able to rip apart a duckling if one got in his way. Even Will looked nervous, and he was never scared. Even if he was eight.

"I...I'm sorry Alec...I..."

"Which room?"

"What?"

"Which room is she in? I need to see my sister?"

"Ummm...FA518 I think."

And with that, Alec was off.

"So, who wants to see James Lewis?"

* * *

><p><em><strong>So? Was that okay? <strong>_

**_Lu xxx_**


	20. Remember Remember

_**Hey guys... I would bore you with excuses but I'm sure you'd rather read, so enjoy!**_

**_I'll do the reviews at the end._**

**_Lu xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_**

* * *

><p>Alec couldn't quite remember crashing through the corridors of the hospital, or the painful minutes that had in fact been seconds searching up and down the right hallway for Izzy's private room. He could barely recall how he had pushed right past the doctors in the room to the bedside, demanding to see her and shouting that he was her brother. He couldn't quite retrace the slow steps he had made to Izzy after he had seen her laying there, her face a contrastingly ghostly white to her ebony hair, he eyes gently closed, the shock reverberating through him every time his feet hit the floor. He couldn't summon up the memory of slumping in the chair beside her, grasping her limp hand and watching and squinting and seeing that yes, her chest was ever so slightly rising and falling. He didn't even know what the time was.<p>

Just that he was with Izzy, and he wasn't going to let her out of his sight until she woke up.

The doctors had no idea when she would – for now it was just a waiting game – but Alec had all the same demanded to know something, anything. One by one they had shaken their heads and left, leaving him alone with his sister.

He stroked the back of her hand calmly and looked down at her through gradually glazing eyes, at the features that even in this uncertain sleep were still beautiful; beautiful and familiar. She had always been there.

* * *

><p><em>He was about two, and he'd had to go and stay with the Penhallow's overnight because Daddy said Mommy needed to go into hospital because he was going to have a little sister. It was all very exciting.<em>

_Daddy had just picked him up in the new shiny car and now they were driving to the hospital to see her. Mommy had said that he would have to be very careful and very gentle because she would be very delicate and fragile, and if he did anything too silly he might hurt her, and then Mommy would be very cross and Daddy would be very cross and it wouldn't be very nice. His feet were tapping against the back of Daddy's seat he was so excited, and then Daddy shouted very loudly because he was distracting him and if he didn't stop there might be an accident._

_Then they were in a room, and it was all white white white, and he was very tired, clutching his bunny in one hand and Daddy in the other, and Mommy was there, lying on the bed, and she looked like she was fast asleep but then she sat up. She had something white and smothered in blankets in her arms, and she offered it to Daddy again when they got close, and then she gave him a hug and it was warm and soft and Mommy and then Daddy was showing him the little bundle. There was a small little hand peeping out, and a small little face which was screwed up with its eyes shut tightly, and it was all tiny tiny tiny, and then Mommy was saying meet you new baby sister Isabelle, and he said hello Iss-ee-bear because he couldn't say Isabelle, and then Iss-ee-bear had squeezed his finger and he had giggled and she had squeezed harder._

* * *

><p><em>Mom and Dad were out and it was dark, and the babysitter hadn't turned up. He was lying in bed, tossing and turning and trying to get to sleep, but there was a thunderstorm outside and there were booms echoing through the massive house and he was a bit scared. Besides, it was too loud. He turned over again, burying his face into the pillow – and then, in a lapse in the thunder, he heard the door to his room creak ever so slightly open, and a small face peek around it.<em>

_It was Izzy. She couldn't have been more than about four or five, and she was hugging the toy rabbit that used to belong to him to her chest tightly. She whispered to him that she was scared, and then he beckoned to her and she hopped on to the bed beside him and cuddled up to him. He felt her relax, and after a few minutes she was fast asleep. The bed was massive, so he scooted over quietly and fell asleep on top of the covers._

* * *

><p><em>He was sat in the car on the way to the hospital, Izzy sat nervously next to him wondering if he was going to snitch on her. He'd managed to break his wrist after she had gotten herself stuck up a tree in the back garden. He'd climbed up the tree and grabbed Izzy's hand and half pulled her down onto the branch just below him. And then as a joke she had yanked down on his hand – but he'd been pretty unstable, and had fallen a good ten to fifteen feet and landed funny – cue shouting and Izzy quickly scrambling down the rest of the tree.<em>

_A few hours later, once he'd had an x-ray and a cast fitted, his Mom had sat them both down on the couch and had asked what had happened, and he'd seen Izzy brace herself for the inevitable fit of rage when she discovered that it was all her fault, and then he had almost – almost – smiled at the quickly concealed look of surprise as he explained that he'd been climbing the trees and slipped and ended up landing awkwardly, leaving her almost entirely out of the story. Afterwards she had asked why he had covered for her and he had simply said that she was his younger sister, and it was his job to look after her and protect her, even if it was her fault that there had been trouble._

* * *

><p><em>Izzy must have been about fourteen. It was a summer night, and both Robert and Maryse were away on business for the week with Max and Jace was on a date. Since he was sixteen or seventeen he had been deemed responsible enough to be in charge for a few days, which was why he had felt compelled to raise both eyebrows at her attire.<em>

_To be fair, she had been dressed in a way that even Magnus may have been shocked at – and he had worn some pretty shocking things to school and even more elaborate outfits on all of the times that he had dragged him to clubs – with a black dress that left very little to the imagination, excessive makeup and heels so high that it was a wonder that she hadn't toppled down the stairs._

"_Iz, you can't go out like that."_

"_Yes I can."_

"_You can't and you won't. I absolutely forbid it."_

"_You can't do that, you're not…"_

"_Not what? Not your father? Not Robert? Maybe not, but I am in charge. You are not going out like that."_

"_Jesus, why are you being so like this? Just because Mom and Dad forbade you from going out with Magnus…"_

"_That was different!"_

"_How?!"_

"_Because they didn't stop me from going out because they thought I was irresponsible or dressed like a hooker! Iz, you are FOURTEEN!"_

"_You've been clubbing since you were fifteen! What's the difference?!"_

"_I never said that I had an issue with you going out, just with what you are wearing."_

"_Urgh, fine. Fine, I'll get changed."_

"_Good. And Iz?"_

"_What?"_

"_Just…just be safe. And remember that you can call me or Magnus or Jace if you get into any trouble or want picking up at any point."_

"_Yeh yeh whatever. Bye."_

_He smiled as he watched her flounce out of the door, and then the smile fell. He hated watching her go. But at least like this she wasn't sneaking out behind his back, getting him into trouble, getting herself into trouble. She was going to destroy herself if she wasn't careful._

* * *

><p><em>He was running about in his room, packing his bags, shoving everything he possibly could into them. His breath was very shallow and very rapid, and the red mark on his face throbbed painfully, but he wasn't letting it slow him down. In fact, after five minutes, he was completely finished, and was just lifting up his window to slip away into the night when his sister burst in, her normally perfect hair uncharacteristically out of place and a shocked expression plastered on her face.<em>

"_Where the HELL are you going, Alexander Lightwood?!"_

"_Magnus's probably."_

"_Okay, and why, exactly?!"_

"_Iz, I can't stay here. It's just giving everyone, especially Max, such trauma, and I can't do that to you guys anymore. And I can't really do it to myself either."_

"_But you can't just abandon us, please…"_

"_Iz, I'm not just gonna abandon you. I'll come back and look after you whenever Maryse and Robert are out, and spend some time with you, if I can, and I could still pick Max up from school if you really really want, but… I can't stay here. It's too much for everyone."_

_He opened the window fully and chucked his bags out onto the ground, and perched on the windowsill ready to jump out onto the tree and climb down._

"_Wait…"_

_He turned around. Izzy had come up right behind him._

"_Yeh?"_

"_I'm…I'm gonna miss you. You're like…the best brother I could hope for."_

"_Now you're just being sentimental." They laughed. "Don't say that to Jace. He is of course, the best brother." He said, mirroring Jace's voice exactly. They both laughed again, and then the moment stopped, and they were both crying again._

"_I'm sorry Iz. But I have to go."_

_Izzy hugged him tightly to her._

"_I'll miss you."_

"_You'll probably see me tomorrow, Iz."_

"_I'll still miss you!"_

"_And I'll miss you too."_

_And he jumped out of the window._

* * *

><p><em>There was a knock at the door, and he slowly removed himself from the couch to open it. The place was a mess, with takeout covering the entire floor and several broken pieces of crockery – it appeared that the cat had gone on yet another bloody rampage and had smashed up his favourite mug, the one with the dinosaur on it, and several plates. He wound his way through the mess, swearing when he got a shard of glass in his foot, and then hopped the rest of the way to turn the key.<em>

"_Hey, um now's kinda a bad…oh."_

_The boy standing in the doorway was drenched from head to toe, having obviously been caught in the most recent thunderstorm. He held two massive duffel bags and it looked like he might have been crying as well – it was hard to tell the tear tracks from the rain drops. _

"_Okay, go sit on the couch, let me put a plaster on my foot and then…yeah. Yep."_

_Two seconds later he had plastered up and was sat next to the other boy, who was sat hugging his knees with his shoes off, and dripping water all over the furniture. Normally, he would have been disgruntled, but he could tell that this was no ordinary visit, and that something was wrong._

"_Hey, what's up?"_

"_Can…can I stay here?!"_

"_What happened?!"_

_He shook his head._

"_Please…just…can I?"_

"_Of course, biscuit."_

_And he pulled him in for a hug._

* * *

><p><em>He knew almost immediately, as soon as he walked through the door, that something was properly wrong. Even the cat seemed to have sensed the gloomy atmosphere and was perched precariously on top of his favourite teapot – yes, he had a teapot – looking solemn. Cats could look solemn. He stood by that.<em>

_Then he saw his boyfriend, rocking backwards and forwards with his knees clutched tightly to his chest on the couch, a solitary tear running down his cheek, his eyes glazed over and his expression very very far away. He was scared to touch him and break his reverie, but at the same time he knew that he would have to say something or else... he just felt like he needed to help._

_"Al...Alexander? Are you...what the Hell happened...um...God...Alec?"_

_"He's...God...God...he's...he's..."_

_"Alec?"_

_"He's dead."_

_"Wai...What?"_

_"Max. He's...yep. He's gone."_

_"Wha...Jesus, what happened?"_

_"Car crash. They said he died instantly."_

_"Oh..."_

_"They said it like it should have been a comfort. It wasn't. It doesn't stop the fact that he died!"_

_"No...oh God Alec..."_

* * *

><p>Magnus woke up in the forest drenched in cold sweat and hyperventilating and crying. It was all too much.<p>

* * *

><p><em><strong>Just realised... chapter 20! Woop woop guys!<strong>_

_**sarahps - hoping you have managed to survive waiting. sorry :( xxx**_

_**luvmusic - well, that chapter didn't really help Izzy... but yes, bye bye Camille. xxx**_

_**LondonRose - sorry for the wait xxx**_

_**l'amore - thank you so much! xxx**_

_**AsraStar - hold tight xxx**_

_**Nisandfeline - maybe...maybe this will happen. Who knows?**_

_**Hotlight - thanks for the advice, and thanks for your review becaus eit gave me the kick up the backside to get this finished. xxx**_

_**Guest - I am glad so xxx**_

_**DescensusAverno - you were, and great name! I do too, but we have to wait. Even I have to wait. My imagination is a bitch sometimes.**_

_**Love you all**_

_**Lu xxxxxxxxx**_


	21. Deviousness

**_Heya!_**

**_So thisi s a LOT shorter, but it just felt like an appropriate place to finish._**

**_Secondly: we are at 94 reviews, nearly 100, so... if I get to 100 before next chapter, your reviewed wishes may come true... and I will send a snippet to the 100th reviewer, if they have an account._**

**_Enjoy!_**

**_Lu xxx (reviews at the end)_**

* * *

><p>Magnus had had enough. He was going to get his shit together and at least try to talk to Alec about everything. They had both been a bit stupid, Magnus more than Alec, and the kids deserved it for them to at least talk it out, or something… in hindsight he probably should have thought it out a bit more, what he was going to say, because he was in the lift on the way to Alec's apartment.<p>

When he'd arrived back home the previous night, he'd been in a little bit of a panic, because when he'd gone to pick up Will from the Institute he hadn't been there, and even worse, Hodge hadn't seen him at all – and that man was eagle eyed. But soon after he'd picked up the phone, flicking through countless messages asking him what on earth had happened and what the hell the whole scene had been about, he'd come across a voicemail from Will saying that he would be staying overnight with Alec, and that he'd need picking up at about ten the next morning from his apartment, which he gave the address for, because Alec needed to get back to the hospital as soon as he good because there was 'some sort of family crisis going on or something'.

So now he was on the way up to collect Will, and he'd decided he was going to talk to Alec as well.

The whole lift was polished metal, lit with white lights that made the whole place shine and hurt Magnus's eyes. It made him wonder what Alec had managed to do to get a place like this – the last time he had seen him they'd been living in a less than brilliant and quite small place. What the man had been up to since then was a mystery to Magnus, but he must have been doing something pretty interesting and exciting to get this place. Or maybe he had just saved up – he'd always been doing that, putting a load to the side for at the time their future which had never happened. The thought threatened to put Magnus in a bad place so he stopped his mind wandering down that road and began trying to script what he was going to say.

'Hey Alec, how've you been?'

'Hello, I know I'm just here to fetch Will, but could we have a word whilst I'm here?'

'Alec…long time no see!'

'I guess we can't escape each other, can we?'

And then the lift doors opened. Magnus took in a deep breath, stepped forwards and knocked on the door.

It opened after a few moments, and then there was Alec. Alec, with those blue eyes, the blue eyes that had enchanted Magnus for such a long time, that he had missed for eight years, the eyes that spilled with emotion but had closed off at the end, the eyes that were the blue of the sea at twilight, the colour that had filled Magnus's dreams and haunted him at first, and then turned up occasionally now that it had been so long, and was a comfort. The colour that had lurked in the bushes or his imagination, he wasn't sure which, the day before, the day he had nearly made the second most stupid decision of his life. The eyes which loosing had been the most so. He gulped.

"Ummm…hi?"

"Hey."

"Ummm… I'm here to get Will…"

"Uh, yeh, sure, just… just let me get him."

He disappeared into the apartment, and Magnus sighed, ran a hand through his hair and leant his back against the cold wall, metal or tiled he couldn't tell, letting the muffled voices from inside fly over his head.

* * *

><p>It took Alec a couple of seconds to fully accept that Magnus Bane was standing in his doorway, and to get over the shock of him turning up unannounced. He'd looked nervous and uneasy, and not like the Magnus he remembered at all; instead of glitter and colour and perfect, nearly excessive makeup, he looked like he'd thrown on a pair of (albeit fashionable) baggy jeans, a plain jumper and combed his hair, which was falling around in his eyes – just his eyes. Not even eyeliner, which Magnus always swore by. Of course, Alec had thought he was perfect, and still did, whatever, but the whole thing just screamed at Alec that something was not right.<p>

"Ummm...hi?"

He looked awful. Well, he looked like he felt awful. Magnus could never look awful.

"Hey."

"Ummm…I'm here to get Will…"

Will. Of course. Will. How could it not have been Will? How could he not have seen it coming?

"Uh, yeh, sure, just… just let me get him."

And he turned back into the apartment to have a little chat with his eldest son.

* * *

><p>Magnus opened his eyes, which at some point he had squeezed shut, as the door opened again and Alec came out. At this point Magnus got a full view of him – and was a little stunned. Alec had changed. Like, seriously changed. His defined muscles had always been there, but he was showing them off in a tight, black, long sleeved shirt and skinny – but not skin tight – black jeans. He couldn't help but feel a little bit proud that his – no, no his, just – Alec had started caring more about his appearance, and had flattered himself instead of covering himself up in ratty sweaters.<p>

"I've told Will to get his suit that he was wearing yesterday and to help Max clean up the mess they've made, so he should be out soon."

"Okay."

They stood there in an uncomfortable silence for a while, heads bowed down, avoiding each others gaze, until finally Magnus had had enough of it.

"I'm sorry." He blurted out wildly. Alec looked up with very wide eyes, fast, straight at him.

"What?!"

"I'm sorry. For not listening to you, for putting us in this mess."

"Magnus, what are you talking about?!" But he looked like he knew.

"That night. That goddamned, awful night. You said…" He sniffed, "You said that we should have worked things out. And you're right. We should have. For us. For the boys. But I wouldn't listen, and know look at us. Barely even speaking."

Alec was stood with his mouth hanging ever so slightly open. Then he pulled himself together.

"No, it's not… it's my fault. If it hadn't been away all the time, it would never have gotten to that point…"

"And I overreacted Alec… if I hadn't have been so stroppy about it, the whole thing…urgh. This whole thing is so messed up…"

Alec stood there, back to looking characteristically terrified.

"Magnus…could we try and fix this? I mean, I don't know if it's rescue-able but… but I think that the boys might deserve it for us to at least be civil and talk…"

"I would love to, Alexander…" Alec flinched at the use of his full name, "And, and Will and Max do deserve it…we could try and be at least friends, and kind of see where that goes…If you want, I mean, if you just wanna kind of chat to work out where the boys are gonna stay and…"

Alec grabbed his hands, and he felt a shiver run up his spine at the touch of him again.

"I'd be more than happy to be friends. And if you want to be more than friends… we could see where it goes?"

Magnus smiled. Alec put his hands on his shoulders.

"Yesterday…I guess the boys told you about yesterday?" Alec nodded, "Yesterday, it was kind of an eye opener. And it made me realise how much I had missed you, and how much I needed you. I mean, I'd already really known it but… but I don't know. Something about what happened yesterday just made it seem…just made it seem really important."

"Well… something happened to me yesterday too and…and it made me realise that you have to value what you have. You don't know when you might lose it, you don't realise how fragile it is. So I want to hold onto this, whatever we have left, before we have nothing."

Alec had lowered his hands, and looked like he was about to cry. It was Magnus's turn now to take the other man's hands in his own.

"Alec…are you…what happened yesterday?"

"Oh, it's nothing…"

Magnus raised an eyebrow.

"Oh really?"

"Izzy…well…she's…"

Magnus felt alarm bells ring – Alec had always been really, really protective of his family, they had meant the world to him, and clearly still did – so anything bad happening to one of them was big, and he knew immediately, remembered immediately, that it would be a very stupid idea to push it any further, and that he should just drop it straight away. So he did.

"Okay, okay, forget I asked. So…do you wanna, I don't know, go to the park or something tomorrow? After work, of course."

"Um…sure. I'll send the boys to Clary and Jace's, and I'll meet you in our spot at say, six?"

"Yeh, sounds good. Just to catch up, you know, get to know each other again, and that. And I need to sort something out with Max too, if that's alright? I think I need to get to know him, seeing as you have gotten to know Will."

Alec smiled and nodded, and just then Will and Max burst through the door, Will with a coat hanger draped casually over his shoulder and Max looking a bit nervous. Magnus waved at him.

"Hi Max."

Max waved back at him but stayed quiet and timid. Will walked over to his dad and smiled at him. Magnus grinned back.

"Well, we had probably better be off then, but I'll see you tomorrow then."

"Yep. See you at six!"

"See you at six."

Magnus waved over his shoulder and then with his hand on Will's back guiding him forward led him into the elevator and pressed the button that would whisk them away to the lobby. He turned just at the last moment, and saw Alec alone, Max probably having disappeared back into the apartment, smiling at him wistfully and almost it appeared subconsciously, clearly in a far away place, and it made Magnus's heart flutter just a little bit.

_Torrow. Tomorrow at six. In their place._

Magnus's heart fluttered again when he realised that.

_Our._

_Our._

If there was an 'our'…was their still a them?

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><p><em><strong>Soooooo...<strong>_

_**Please review! Also, shoutout to all of the people who follow/favourite this story - YOU ARE EPIC!**_

_**Lanidays - more for you! xxx**_

_**Hotlight - again, inspiration from you! and thanks for the review, it made me smile :) xxx**_

_**Cheesekun - glad you are enjoyingit and nice to see a new reader! xxx**_

_**L'amore - why thank you! and it is a waiting game in terms of Izzy (ie. I am still not sure how that is going to end!) xxx**_

_**Guest - why yes. And now another :) xxx**_

_**Lu xxx**_


	22. Our Place

_**Heya!**_

_**Unfortunately, my computer has broken which is making it really hard to write, so sorry this has taken so long :(. Also, my next update may be 2-3 weeks, so I haven't disappeared, my IT just hates me :(.**_

_**Enjoy. Mwahahaha. Reviews at the end.**_

_**Lu xxx**_

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><p>Alec was in truth not at work the next day – for some bizarre reason they had decided to give him Mondays off – so instead he had decided to spend the whole day at the hospital with Izzy, since Simon couldn't be. James had gone home the previous day, but Alec had picked him up to take him back to his Mom in the hope that the presence of her son would inspire Izzy to stir at least, to open her eyes; it sounded stupid, but even though it had only been two days Alec and Simon had grown desperate, and Clary and Jace were well on their way to being so as well.<p>

He shuddered unconsciously as wandered down the bright white halls. Hospitals had never really been his cup of tea and had freaked him out since he was little; they just seemed too unnatural, too clean, and too white. A sleeping James stirred a bit in his arms but remained out like a light, his small fingers twisted deeply into the orange knitted blanket he was snuggled into. Alec smiled. His nephew was so small and delicate, and it reminded him almost painfully of when Max had been that young – James even had the same mop of black hair, although beneath his lids were deep chocolate eyes that made him look a lot like Simon.

Alec was so lost in thought that he was surprised to realise that he had reached the door to his sisters room – and was then even more surprised to hear two distantly familiar voices saying goodbye to her and to see the door swing roughly open to reveal his parents.

They looked exactly as he remembered them. Maryse looked glum and nonchalant, her jaw set stubbornly and her long hair scraped back into a meticulous bun. Robert was scowling, his features twisted and ugly, and they only got more twisted and ugly as he laid eyes upon his son. Maryse's eyes flew open in shock, which was very uncharacteristic, and she stepped back a little and rested her hand on her husband's shoulder for support.

"Alexander…" She muttered, quietly and under her breath so that he could only just hear it.

He narrowed his eyes at them so that they were almost slits, not caring to disguise the hate on his face. He shook his head, subconsciously pulled James a little closer to his chest as if to protect him and leant past the pair as if to walk in to the room when Maryse caught at his elbow. He turned and looked at her – there was an odd emotion in her eyes, one he hadn't ever really seen in her before.

"Alexander…" She repeated.

He shrugged off her arm violently and continued to glare at her.

"Don't. Don't touch me."

He stormed into Izzy's room and then stood very still and very tense with his back to them.

"Weren't you just leaving?"

There was a very charged moment that seemed to go on for hours, and then Alec relaxed at the sounds of the door closing and footsteps echoing down the hallway. He slumped into one of the chairs next to his sister's bed and gently placed James onto her chest.

"Hey Iz," He murmured, grabbing one of her limp hands in his, "You'll never guess what I'm up to this evening!"

* * *

><p>Magnus was rushing around his apartment in a mad panic, because he had absolutely no idea what to wear. He knew it was silly, and he kept reminding himself over and over that he was just meeting with Alec to catch up with him as a friend, and that he wouldn't really care what Magnus looked like anyway, but there was a rather large part of him that felt like he just needed to look… special. Like himself again. And he was having quite a lot of trouble with it.<p>

There were clothes thrown everywhere; on the floor, on the bed, on the sofa – Magnus had even laid out his collection of white jeans on the kitchen table, and the Chairman was sporting a particularly sparkly green sweater that had landed unceremoniously on his head. And yet there still seemed to be nothing suitable, nothing that he felt was right. Magnus groaned in frustration and threw yet another shoe in the general direction of the kitchen. There was a smash, and he flinched, but didn't let it hold him up and continued to scour through the remaining items in his wardrobe.

Ten minutes later and there was still absolutely nothing. Magnus looked down at what he was wearing – plain skinny jeans and a sky blue sweater with a gold sequin lightning bolt. He supposed he could just wear it – no. No, no, no, it just wouldn't do. He growled in frustration and slammed his foot straight into the wardrobe – and then jumped back as something large and potentially heavy tumbled down from on top of it.

Magnus coughed and waved the dust cloud away – whatever it was had been up there a very long time – before stepping forward to take a look at the object. It was a large cardboard box, unmarked with a label and sealed at the top with a lot of green and yellow electrical tape. He had absolutely no idea what it was, or why it had been on top of his wardrobe of all places, so he grabbed the pair of blue nail scissors on his bedside table, slit open the tape and ripped the box open.

He gasped, and remembered what it was.

It was a box full of clothes, old clothes, clothes he hadn't seen for eight years. They had been all of Alec's favourites back when they were still together, and to be honest they had been his too – though he would never have had admitted that to anyone – and when the whole break up had happened they had been too painful to wear but too precious to throw out or get rid of,, so he had sealed them up in the box and shoved them on top of his wardrobe where he had expected never to find them again – until now.

He pulled several of them out. There was the top he had been wearing that time that they had nearly been mugged and Alec had knocked the mugger out, the gold sparkling jeans that had been soaked when he had fallen backwards into a duck pond after trying to show off his 'superior balance', and the coat that he had used to constantly wear in the winter after Alec had said that trench coats made him look completely badass. He smiled and pulled out his once favourite and still favourite top and jeans, the coat and a pair of amazing faded leather combats that he was never going out with without again and smiled. Suddenly, he didn't have a problem.

* * *

><p>The evenings were getting increasingly darker, and as Alec sat waiting for Magnus in the small clearing the dying light of the sun cast a deep orange glow through the bare branches of the trees, creating a striking mosaic on the floor. The place hadn't changed one bit – there was still the tiny stream that ran nearby that you would occasionally see the odd fish in, and the small pile of rocks which Magnus had once slipped down and nearly broken his arm on. It was peaceful and quiet, and although Alec was looking forward to seeing his ex it was also very nice to just have a little alone time, which he hadn't had much of lately due to the boys – they were both staying over at Clary and Jace's for the night.<p>

He closed his eyes for a second and just let the calm wash over him, before there were the cracking sound of twigs breaking and leaves being crushed on the overgrown narrow pathway to the spot. Alec opened them to see Magnus emerging from the other side of the clearing in the ripped black jeans and riveted top that he had worn so often towards the end of their relationship and his hands stuffed in the pockets of his old trench coat. He smiled as the other man waved at him and slumped down next to him, leaning his back against a tree.

"Hey." Magnus said, the corner of his mouth twitching slightly upwards.

"Hi."

"So where did you go then?"

"What do you mean?"

"For the last eight years or so. I heard rumours that you left New York." Alec must have pulled some sort of a face, because Magnus held up his hands. "I'm not being harsh, I'm just curious, that's all."

Alec smiled.

"California. I don't know why, it was just the first place that sprung to mind that I could fly to. We lived in this small little town where I worked at the local architects firm and occasionally wrote for the papers."

Magnus nodded along, looking thoughtful.

"Sound great."

"It was."

"So why did you move back?"

"Well, I got offered a job at The Idris Times, and they said they would pay for my apartment and everything, so I couldn't really refuse… but there was this small part of me that longed to be back here and for Max to be here - its home."

Magnus carried on nodding.

"So, what have you been up to?"

"Well, I moved to this big penthouse apartment, which you know, and set up my own magazine, and yeah… life's been pretty good."

"So you got your dream."

"Yeah. And the magazine became really successful…"

"Of course it would – with your flair I doubt it could fail!"

Magnus laughed.

"Well I suppose. You do know Jace is one of my new models?"

"I knew he'd got a job, but not for you! Trust Jace."

"Well, he's actually pretty good."

"Soo… what was the whole business with Camille then?"

Magnus groaned.

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to!" He said quickly, "I just…wondered…"

"No, no, it's fine. I got together with her after… after, and then…I don't know. She was just meant to be a fleeting thing, and then she wasn't, and she just brainwashed me into thinking I actually loved her." He laughed bitterly. "I can't believe I actually early married her!"

"But you didn't." Alec pointed out.

"No." He admitted. "Will managed to make me see sense right at the last minute, thank God. That boy may be cunning but he sure is helpful."

"He's a good kid, you know. You brought him up really well. He's fantastic."

Magnus looked a bit confused for a second, and then nodded.

"Oh yeah, I forgot you've been seeing him for months."

Alec pulled his hands up in to his sleeves and looked sheepishly at Magnus.

"Yeah…sorry about that…"

"I don't have a problem with it, honestly. Actually, to tell you the truth I'm kind of glad that you two have gotten to know each other. I just hope that I can get to know Max?"

"I'd love that. And I think Max would too – he's always been desperate to meet you, and Will. It's kind of ironic that we separated the two of them and then they found each other anyway. I mean, trust them to become best friends before they even knew they were twins."

"Yep. It's exactly the sort of crazy thing that was bound to happen."

Magnus sighed, and his hair – which he appeared to have left down for a change – was blowing slightly in the cold evening breeze.

"Well, life is mad."

They just sat there for a moment, not speaking. It was a pleasant silence, not awkward at all, and Alec couldn't help but just enjoy being in Magnus's company after all these years, even if they were simply trying to be friends again.

He was pulled out of his reverie by Magnus.

"So what happened with Izzy?"

"What…?"

"Will said she was in hospital…is she okay?"

His eyebrows were furrowed in concern. Alec sighed and looked at the floor, running a hand through his surprisingly tamed hair.

"No, she's not. She contracted eclampsia when she gave birth to my nephew James a couple of days ago and she's been in a coma since. The doctors don't know when or if she's going to wake up, and whether she'll be…her when she does."

"Oh…oh, God Alec…how…how are you then?"

"I'm struggling to come to terms with it but…she's a fighter. She'll get through it."

"Have you seen her…like, I know sometimes they don't let you…"

"Yeah." He breathed. "Yeah, I saw her this morning. I brought James along to see if having him there would wake her but no success. It looks like my parents have been visiting too."

"Oh…had they left flowers or something or…"

"I ran into them as they were leaving and I was arriving."

"And how did that go then? Was your dad…"

"Oh Robert just scowled. And Maryse wanted to talk."

"Did you?"

"No. I have no interest in knowing them anymore. They've done too much, and I am much better off without them."

"Fair enough." He studied Alec for a moment. "You know, you look different Alec."

"Oh? How so?"

"You seem more confident in yourself, somehow. And you have finally developed some sort of sense of style."

He smiled.

"You look no different. It's like you haven't changed a bit."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. I like it. I always liked the way you seemed. Like, confident but not cocky. And your clothes are still verging on outrageous most of the time. And you haven't ditched the eyeliner."

"The world will end before I ditch the eyeliner!"

Alec laughed at that, and Magnus smiled, a strange twinkle appearing in his eye that Alec couldn't quite put his finger on. It was nice.

"Nope, you definitely haven't changed!"

They sat there like that, just talking, for hours and hours, until the light had completely left the sky and the only illumination available came from the moon. They lay there looking up at the stars, trying to work out what all of the constellations were called and putting names to the particularly distinctive stars.

"And that one must be Orion's Belt…"

"Magnus, that's the fourth time that you've said that – are you sure you aren't just making this up?"

"That is possible, yes."

Alec laughed, and turned to lie on his side so that he was facing the other man.

"I've missed you Magnus. A lot."

Magnus turned onto his side too and smiled back at Alec.

"I've missed you a lot too."

And then he leant in and kissed Alec on the mouth.

Alec froze in shock and Magnus pulled back hurriedly, a panicked look splashed across his face.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, I…"

"Magnus, it's fine. You just took me by surprise, that's all."

"Really?"

"Really."

And this time Alec leant in and kissed Magnus with everything he had, everything that had lain dormant for so long, and Magnus was kissing him back with the exact same force, and for once, everything was forgotten, Izzy, his parents – and just for a while, as they lay there together, everything was perfect.

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><p><em><strong>Did you enjoy? Please review!<strong>_

_**Lu xxx**_

_**Hotlight: I am alive! And as for Camille...maybe. Just maybe.**_

_**Asrastar: And now you know! Hope you enjoyed. **_

_**Gofarnotfast: I have a plan for Izzy now, and don't worry. I hope you enjoyed.**_

_**L'amore: Did this ending make you happier? :)**_

_**Permalec: Glad you liked it.**_

_**Sarahps: No, noone has done any standing up. I couldn't write that. It would be too horrible. :)**_

_**Victoria: :) But you were appreciated just the same.**_

_**Nisandfeline: We'll have to wait and see about Camille...**_

_**Kaylovesbane: Thank you, and I will!**_

_**Greekgoddess: I dread it too, and I am glad that you are still enjoying it. :)**_

_**Guest: I know, the feels I get...**_

_**Guest 2: Never fear, I never abandon a story!**_

_**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**_


	23. The Cold Creeps In

_**Hiya,**_

_**I'm sorry I haven't updated in ages, but you have a new chapter now.**_

_**Hotlight: Mwahahaha and maybe… I'm still brooding over Camille.**_

_**AsraStar: I did eventually. X**_

_**Tibby: :)**_

_**Nisanfeline: Why yes it will.**_

_**L'amore: Glad you like it.**_

_**Guest: :)**_

_**Permalec: I will never stop. And I'm also planning to update Eternal secrets soon.**_

_**Review if you like it. **_

_**Lu xxxx**_

* * *

><p>Alec woke up the next morning with butterflies. He'd been dreaming about Magnus – only about them walking along the beach and watching the sunset together – and he'd woken up with butterflies. It was a nice feeling, he'd decided, and he simply lay there and revelled in it for a very long time before he got out of bed to get ready for work, because he had the time, and he had decided he didn't really care about being especially on time – particularly since his office didn't really care what time he got in anyway, as long as it was roughly about nice to ten ish.<p>

When he finally made it out of the apartment building, the sun had risen high in the sky, painting pale yellow fall autumn light all over the city. The skyscrapers that made up the iconic skyline glittered faintly. Although the dull streets gave an ominous hint at the upcoming winter, everything this morning seemed a little brighter, a little sharper, a little more in focus than it had for a very long time. Everything seemed to glow or shine or sparkle and anything he saw brought back a happy memory, or helped Alec recall something funny or ridiculous. Even the damn coffee tasted just a little better, a little sweeter. It was if the whole world had woken up the moment that Magnus had waltzed back into his life, and he was enjoying every moment of it.

The rest of the day seemed to pass by in a haze. The blink of an eye. Meetings and calls seemed to glide away easily under his eyelids, typing that took hours seemed to take minutes, and before he knew it he was outside again in the afternoon on his way to pay a quick call on Izzy and then take Magnus and the boys to the park.

* * *

><p>Izzy's room was still desperately quiet and dull, despite the brightly coloured orchids left on the bedside table by Simon and the near silent put of time beeps of the numerous machines surrounding her. She was looking more ghostlike by the day, as if the arctic surroundings were sapping the colour and life from her. The long ebony hair fanned out on the crisp pillows gave a sharp, unwelcome contrast to the whiteness of her face, the paleness of her dry, cracked lips and the slightly grey tinged circles that hung gloomily beneath her eyes. Her eyelids were oddly blue and there was a sort of clamminess to her skin. It seemed that every day she was looking – and becoming – more and more ill.<p>

Alec slumped next to her in the hard, plastic blue chair given for visitors and slipped her limp, cold hand into his. Her eyes stayed stationery beneath their blue mask and if her fingers twitched slightly as their hands made contact, he certainly didn't feel it. His chest constricted uncomfortably as he looked down at her, his remaining hand began to trembled and he felt the rose tint slip from his vision. She was getting worse. Of course she was getting worse.

"Hey Iz."

His voice shook and a lump began to form in his throat.

"Hey Iz. You're being so strong. You've been so strong, and you can't stop now."

He tightened his grip on her hand.

"You may not have had much to lose when you went to sleep, but you have everything to wake up for now. You have a son. You have Jace. And Clary. Happy again. You have a beautiful niece and two nephews who love you and think you're epic and are missing you. You have Simon, who is in a complete mess but is holding it together because it's the only think he knows how to do. You have me… me and Magnus. You have a family that's come together since you've been asleep. All while you've been asleep, Iz. Jace and Clary have fixed everything. Magnus and I are sorting things out. Iz, you may have slipped away from a broken mess, but now we have a complete puzzle. All we need is the final jigsaw piece. All we need is for you to wake up.

Maryse and Robert came to visit you, you know. I saw them on my way in yesterday, when they were just leaving. I don't know if they said anything to you, or if you knew they were there, but they came all of this way back to see you. They care enough about you to do anything to try and bring you back. We all do. We all love you, Iz, and we all can't bear that you're gone from us. We all miss you so much, Izzy, and you're driving us insane by keeping those eyelids sewn shut, even more than you usually do, which is saying something. But we'd rather had a mad, aggravating and ridiculous Isabelle than this one. Iz, you were never made to be this still, or this quiet, or this pale. You made to radiate life like a beacon, and that is who you are Iz, not this.

Can't you open up your eyes for James? He's been crying every night for you, you know. Simon's been doing a great job, and we are all helping as much as we can, but he needs you. Your son needs his Mommy Iz, and I know that you want to have him, to hold him properly instead of having him simply curled up on your chest while you lie there. Iz, you were so excited. You were so excited, and you wanted so much to have your son, to be a mother, to see his first smile and to let him hold your finger in his tiny fist. Izzy, you wanted it so much, and now you are missing it. Please just wake up so you don't have to miss any more. Please wake up for James, for Simon, for all of us, because we all need you so much and you have so much to live for."

But Izzy's hand remained motionless. Her eyelids stayed blue, the grey circles remained, and the subtle bleeps maintained their morose rhythm. Her breath continued, quiet, mechanical, and not her own, and he felt her slipping from his grasp. It was only a matter of time. It was only a matter of time before he lost her completely.

* * *

><p>Magnus had been having a thoroughly good afternoon so far. He had picked up the boys from school, and for once had been precisely on time, which had astounded both Luke and Will and Max. They had taken the subway to one of New York's big green spaces and had spent the past half an hour wandering about wherever, paying Pooh sticks from several of the bridges – which Magnus had naturally won every time – and chatting about stupid things. Despite looking identical to Magnus, Max was almost exactly like Alec, particularly in the way he talked – he had Alec's strange, sophisticated yet subtle tone, which mixed amusement with intelligence. It killed Magnus to see it, and he couldn't help but smile at it.<p>

Now, they were on their way to yet another bridge – there seemed to be so many and yet all of them were ridiculously different, and only a few actually looked good – to meet up with Alec. Originally, he had been planning to meet them at the school, but he had text Magnus shortly before the boys were due to be let out saying that he was held up at the hospital and to meet him at the bridge which they had run across being chased by ducks that one time. He had immediately understood, and now it was coming up into his view.

Alec was the only one stood on it, a lone figure, almost a silhouette, leaning forwards and down slightly, his arms crossed and resting on the railings that had a theme of goldfish. He was gazing in a lost manner into the slow moving water ahead of him, his chin slightly raised, his expression distant and unhappy. He appeared to be brooding something. Magnus was sure it was to do with Izzy.

As they approached him, Magnus tapped him lightly on his right shoulder. He swivelled around in shock, his eyes wide, and then his face relaxed when he saw that it was just them. He embraced Magnus as soon as he saw him, quickly placing a peck on his cheek, before plastering a grin on his face that only Mganus could identify as fake and ruffling the hair of both of his sons affectionately. It seemed to be a habitual gesture.

"How was school then?"

Alec asked as the four of them strolled off of the bridge and towards the pond which the ducks had originated from.

"It was great!"

Will near shouted. Magnus winced internally, glad that there were few people about.

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah! We get to do this presentation on our favourite book in pairs, like a proper review and everything, and…"

"And you and Max are working together and doing A Tale Of Two Cities?"

Alec suggested.

"Yep! Isn't it great! And they've given us time in lessons to read our chosen books again to make sure we have, so we basically get an hour a day reading!"

Alec smiled at Magnus.

"Sounds like fun. Anything else good happen?"

"Well, there was an incident at lunch…"

Max trailed off at Alec's face.

"Oh yes?"

He asked, a note of cold warning very evident.

"Um…"

"Do go on."

"Well, basically, this kid, Jade Rice, she was being awful about Dad and the way he dresses and that in the canteen, and Will got really angry so he said some stuff to her and then rubbed mashed potato into her hair."

Will puffed his chest out proudly.

"She screamed. A lot. And then threw a carrot at me, which naturally missed, and there basically ended up being a massive food fight. The entire room was a mess."

Everything was a bit quiet for a moment. Max looked scared, and Will still had his chest puffed out. Alec looked at Magnus.

"And you say she was slagging off Magnus?"

"Yep."

"Well that's fine then."

They carried on like that, with useless chatter and random conversations, until the sun began to droop lazily over the horizon and the breeze began to pick up with a cold bite.


	24. Closed Doorways

_**I'm sorry - **__** that's all I'm gonna say**_

_**Lu xxx**_

* * *

><p>The wind was fully howling outside the window, slamming into it and shaking the triple glazing. The rain was also lashing down in icy sheets, making it impossible to see the New York skyline. It was early evening, the light beginning to fade from the sky, and Alec and Magnus were standing in Izzy's private room, Will clutching to Magnus and Max to Alec. They were all soaked through from the rain, and shaking from the cold, Alec more than the others. He de-latched himself from Magnus and Max, who humphed but didn't make any complaint, and moved to sit next to Izzy's bed. She looked very peaceful. The blue veins on her eyelids were very prominent; the paleness of her skin was whiter than paper and her lips were very cracked. They barely moved as she breathed – the only thing that indicated that she was still was the machine attached to her.<p>

Alec placed a red rose between his sister's hands, which were clasped on her chest, and then drew back and sat down in the chair next to her.

"You look like Snow White now." He smiled weakly at her. "Remember when we were kids and used to watch it on video, and you said you'd be a princess like her one day? That you'd find a prince to sweep you off of your feet, that would make you feel like the most important person to ever exist? You found your prince, didn't you? We've both been so lucky. I just wish that Simon's kiss would wake you up."

Izzy breathed a little deeper, but that was it. Nothing else. Alec closed his eyes.

"Iz, I'm pretty sure you can't hear me. But I still need to say these things just one more time. I'm sorry that I've had to make this decision. But it's standard procedure after three weeks. You have to understand, if there was any other option I would take it. But there isn't. And I know the doctors say that you will still have a couple of days after they switch you off, but… but I think this is going to be the last time I see you, because I can't bear to see you like this, with the wires stopping the worst of it. So I think it would kill me, too.

I want you to know Iz, you were the perfect sister. Even if you didn't realise it. All those nights, the ones where you would make sure I had disinfectant and bandages just in case, the times you would call when I was living with Magnus, you thought you were pestering, being nosy – you weren't. You were perfect. You were just what I needed. And I really wish that I had told you that at the time. But I didn't. So I'm saying it now.

And when I left New York, when I flew thousands of miles from you, you and Jace, despite everything, you were there beside me every second. Every second. I never forgot any of you, at all, and I think that was why I decided to go for the job here, because I knew I couldn't bear to be away from you any longer. Iz, I'm so sorry I left you too. But I never really did, and I hope you know that. I hope you know that I was by you every second as well. You may think I missed all those important things, but I promise you, I've always been here."

Tears had begun to steadily fall down his face, and he had to hold back tears. His words began to crack as he looked at her lips parting to let her breath. The light had completely left the sky outside.

"Iz, there's just one more thing I think you should know before… before you… before you leave. Me and Magnus… me and Magnus… we're getting married."

* * *

><p><em>The evening was lit by the moon up high in the sky, casting its luminance through the thin layer of clouds, the stars shining brightly. Alec and Magnus were sat by a pond in the park, just talking about things, this and that, the pointless stuff that matters more than anything else in the world at the time. Eventually, these things ran dry, and they just sat there in each others company, sharing the silence.<em>

_Alec's heart was beating fast in his chest, the blood pumping so hard that he was surprised Magnus didn't hear it too. He grabbed the other man's hands, and he looked up startled into Alec's eyes._

"_Alec…"_

_Alec took a deep breath and stared right into Magnus's eyes._

"_Can you remember the day you nearly married Camille?"_

_Magnus sighed and looked away._

"_I thought we agrred not to talk about this, it's one of my worst memories…"_

"_What if I could make it the best?"_

_Magnus's eyebrow raised slowly._

"_Okay, Alec, you know those little pills in your dresser aren't cand, don't you?"_

"_I'm not on drugs, Magnus, I'm serious."_

_He looked sceptical. The eyebrow stayed raised._

"_Go on."_

"_Well, I…I was kind of in a bush…"_

"_So I wasn't going mad."_

_Magnus looked away as he said it, more to himself than anything else._

"_Yes, but anyway, you lost something that day, and I found it, and now I want to give it back."_

"_You can give me back my dignity or the last eight years?"_

"_No. I want you…this."_

_And he drew out of his pocket the silver ring, the diamond still sparkling as if it was knew. Magnus's mouth fell open just a little bit._

"_I know for a fact that when you gave this to Camille, it meant nothing. But it means everything this time. Magnus Bane, will you do me the honour of becoming my husband?"_

_Magnus nodded, shoving the ring onto his finger, tears streaming down his face, and then he flopped onto Alec, and they just sat there, embracing, and laugh-crying with each other._

* * *

><p>Magnus wove his fingers with Alec's.<p>

"It's time to go, Alec."

He stood trembling, his face stained with the tears, and leant down, kissing Izzy on the forehead one last time. She sighed, but her eyes stayed deadly still. He drew back, his knuckles white with amount he was clenching Magnus's hand.

"Good…goodbye…Iz. See you later, yeah? I love you."

He stumbled out of the room, blindly letting Magnus half drag him out, and then as soon as the door closed there was nothing that could stop him from collapsing against the wall in a fit of tears.


	25. Love Conquers

**_Before this chapter starts, I just want to say that I am so sorry that it has been a year. I have had a lot on, with exams and my head, and I found this chapter really hard to write. Anyways, I hope you enjoy it now it is here. I will be finishing this story, so don't worry about that! :)_**

**_Lu xxx_**

* * *

><p>Alec had been lying on the sofa staring aimlessly into the distance for three hours now, and Magnus was getting worried. The twins had been sent packing off into Max's room to get them out of the way as soon as they'd got back from the hospital, and Alec had curled up, and not moved since. He wasn't even sleeping. At first he'd cried, his face in Magnus's chest, his hand's clutching at his shirt, and Magnus had held him. Then he'd screamed into the cushions, pushing Magnus away from him. And then, he'd calmed almost scarily to how he was now, blank.<p>

Magnus had tried everything. He'd brought him his favourite coffee, hot chocolate, actual chocolate and even ordered Taki's. It all lay untouched on the coffee table. He'd tried putting Alec's favourite music on, favourite movie on, but nothing. He just stayed there, his eyes tired; clutching a pillow like it was a child's teddy. Magnus had also considered finding Alec's baby teddy, but then he'd remembered that Alec had left it at his parent's house by accident and had never managed to get it back.

Now it had been three hours, and Magnus had really had enough. It wasn't that he wanted Alec to pull himself together – he'd accepted that that wouldn't happen for a while – but he did want him to be at least functional. He sat down in front of Alec, glad not to be pushed off this time, and put his hand on his arm.

"Sweetie, you need to get up. You need to eat something."

Alec shook his head, and a few strands of his hair fell across his eyes. Magnus drew circles just above the crook of his elbow with his thumb.

"Yes. You can't stay here all day, it isn't good for you."

"I don't care."

Magnus tried not to react to this progress.

"Well, I care biscuit."

Alec hid his face into the cushion, avoiding Magnus's gaze.

"We are going to do something right now, even if I have to drag you off the sofa. And you know I will, Alexander." He said sternly, but not unkindly.

Alec shook his head again. Magnus sighed, slapping his thighs and standing up.

"Well, that's it. I'll just have to take the boys to Pandemonium."

At that, Alec shot upwards, throwing the cushion at Magnus and looking horrified.

"Don't you dare!" Magnus rolled his eyes.

"Firstly, I'm offended you think I'd actually do that. Secondly, good, now you're up."

Alec leant his head on Magnus's shoulder.

"I wish we could just run away somewhere and never come back."

Magnus laughed and stroked Alec's hair.

"You can't do that again sweetie. Once is more than enough for everyone. Plus, Jace would go on a rampage."

Alec made a protesting noise, but nothing else. He reached down and grabbed Magnus's hand so hard he felt like his fingers were breaking. He squeezed back encouragingly, not trying to get Alec to release his grip.

"I can't bear the thought of her dying, Magnus. She can't."

"I know."

"I really thought she'd pull through."

"I know."

"We should get married."

"Yes, we've already established that."

"Now."

"What?"

Alec grabbed Magnus by the shoulders, turning them both so that they faced each other.

"We should go get married right now."

Magnus raised an eyebrow.

"I'm going to put this down to grief Alec."

Alec shook his head.

"I'm not kidding! Can you think of a better time?"

Magnus just stared at him for a long time, and he could tell that his eyebrows were raised.

"Yes. Yes, in fact any other time would be better."

Alec gripped his shoulders tighter.

"Think about it. Right now, Izzy's probably not dead yet. If we get married right now, we might be married in her lifetime!"

Magnus gave him a confused look.

"And this would be important to her?"

Alec nodded.

"She's secretly always wanted to see us married. And even if she doesn't see it… she'll still be with us."

Alec was looking on the verge of crying, but also genuinely enthusiastic. It broke his heart. Magnus couldn't say no to him.

"Okay." He whispered. Alec threw his arms around his neck. He was still just shorter than Magnus, so he had to slightly stand on his toes. Magnus had to smile at that.

"Can we maybe see her again after?"

Magnus made a face.

"Alec, that's just going to break you even more."

Alec gave him puppy dog eyes.

"Ok, we'll think about it after we're married. But now, you're going to get changed into your scraggiest sweater, I'm going to make myself fabulous, and then I'm going to pull some strings and get us somewhere to get married. Oh, also get the kids to dress up however they want."

Alec cocked his head to the side.

"I thought you hated my 'crappy sweaters'?"

Magnus kissed him, before moving towards the spare room, in which he'd dumped a few of his favourite things.

"I do, sweetie, but they're you."

* * *

><p>About an hour or so later – record time for Magnus, he'd been practising – they were all packed into a cab on the way to Central Park, to the exact same place where his wedding to Camille was supposed to have been. Magnus had called the priest, and he was willing to come at short notice to marry them, even at this time of night. He'd also contacted Clary and Jace, who were going to meet them there as witnesses. Alec was dressed up horribly, Magnus was dressed up fabulously, and the kids were comfy. All was sorted. Except for Magnus's mind, which was suffering from the suddenness of this all. He'd literally been back with Alec what, a couple of weeks? And now they were getting married. But, he'd had eight years, longer really, to think about it, and to be honest, it seemed like the obvious option to him.<p>

Alec was sat in the back of the cab with the boys, leaning his head against the window. It must have been uncomfortable – Magnus could see that his head was being knocked about slightly – but he didn't seem fussed. He looked exhausted; it was close to midnight. When he saw Magnus was looking at him, he smiled though, and there was a hint of happiness there, despite everything. Magnus grinned back, and then looked at the boys. They were talking together in whispers, completely unaware of their dads. It was wonderful.

The journey was short, which was thankful, as Magnus was pretty sure Alec was going to fall asleep, even if this had been his idea. It was a full moon, and so a ghostly white light bathed the park. Clary and Jace were already where the priest was setting up, wrapped in coats and gloves and scarves. Tessa was clinging to her father's legs. Magnus looked over to see Alec smiling sadly at the scene as the walked towards it. He was probably thinking about how it would look with Izzy and Simon and their little one. They had called Simon, just in case, but he'd decided he'd rather stay with Izzy and James.

Jace looked up as they arrived, and smiled weakly at Magnus before hugging Alec, not bothering to either move Tessa or hide the fact he was crying. Clary also looked a bit tearful. Magnus had almost, but not quite, forgotten that they were also losing a sister. He let them have their moment, and did nothing to cut it short. In their own time they drew apart. Jace clapped Alec on the back.

"Did you get the rings?" Magnus asked Jace. He smiled, patting his coat as an answered.

"Thank you, Jace." He said sincerely. Jace inclined his head. The priest cleared his throat.

"Shall we get started then?"

Alec nodded, and looked at Magnus. He twisted their fingers together. Everyone gathered around them, smiling as the wedding started. It was a short ceremony – probably for the best, and Magnus knew Alec didn't really like extravagance. Magnus didn't care about the ceremony; for him, it was the fact that they were getting married that was important. They cried as they said their vows, for a multitude of reasons. Alec's hands were visibly shaking as he slipped Magnus's ring onto his finger, above Camille's old engagement ring, and Magnus was shocked to find he was also trembling when he returned the gesture. Then, the priest finally said the words.

"I am now over the moon to pronounce you husband and husband. You may now kiss."

Alec wasted no time in grabbing Magnus around the waste and pulling him close. He pressed their lips together, and then they were kissing and hugging all at once. Magnus closed his eyes, revelling in the feeling of Alec's lips, which he'd missed for so long. Alec was crying, he noticed, the tears falling between their mouths, tasting salty and bitter. Magnus didn't try to deepen the kiss – right then, they didn't need that. Instead, he drew back, with no protest from Alec. He leant his forehead down, resting it against Alec's, their noses touching lightly. In that moment, there was no one around them.

"We finally did it then." We whispered, barely. They were so close that they were breathing each others air. Alec chuckled, and Magnus could feel it vibrate through his chest.

"Yeah. Who would've thought?"

"Me." Alec slapped him on the arm lightly.

"Stop being so cheesy."

"Mais je suis cent pour cent fromage, Alec!"

"Magnus, your French is terrible." Magnus smiled.

"Maybe. But you love it." Alec smiled back.

"Yeah." Magnus held Alec's hand down either side of them, and kissed him again.

"I'm so surprised Jace hasn't made a sarcastic comment by now."

"If he does, he is dead."

* * *

><p>The seven of them were lying on the grass, looking up at the stars. Max, Will and Tessa were curled up together, all asleep, limbs and hair entangled. Clary was snuggled up with them too, eyes, her blinks getting slower, and Jace was lying next to her, absent mindedly stroking her long hair. The grass was damp from the earlier rain, and it was soaking through Magnus's very expensive shirt, but he didn't care. Alec's hands were entwined with his, and he was rubbing circles on the back of one of them with his thumb gently. This was perfect – exactly what, in the end, he'd always imagined their wedding being like, not like the wedding he'd always talked about. Nothing fancy; just him and Alec, together, under the stars, with everyone they loved. Maybe not so perfect. Not without Izzy.<p>

He could tell it was getting to Alec again now. He seemed quiet and withdrawn, and although he was outing on a brave face and smiling softly, Magnus just knew that he wanted to break down and cry. He leant over to whisper in his ear.

"How're you holding up?"

"I'm fine." Magnus rested his head down by Alec's.

"You're not though, are you?" Alec shook his head.

"Not really, no." He moved his head too, resting it onto Magnus's chest, his hand next to it.

"Do you want to go?" Alec shook his head for a second time.

"I don't want to ruin the evening." Magnus laughed without feeling.

"Sweetie, you wouldn't be ruining the evening. You being restless like this might though." Alec took a deep breath.

"Magnus, do you think they'd let us see her at this time of night."

"Well, technically no. But realistically, probably."

"Would you be ok if we went?"

"Of course, but I think it would be best if the boys didn't come."

"Agreed." The two of them stood up, then walked over to Jace, who appeared to have just woken Clary up – she was rubbing her eyes and making grumbling noises.

"Jace, would you mind looking after the boys tonight? Alec wants to go back to see Izzy, and it would probably be better if they weren't there, if that makes sense."

Jace nodded sleepily.

"Well, I'm about to take my girls back anyway. Do you want me to drop them off tomorrow, or…" Jace raised an eyebrow suggestively. Somehow, Magnus found himself laughing and not growling at his new brother in law.

"We will pick them up when it suits us, if that's ok with you."

"Perfectly ok. I hope it isn't too bad." Jace said, clapping Magnus on the shoulder. Magnus nodded, and then grabbed Alec's hand. They wandered like that together out of the park, towards the road.

* * *

><p>It had been tough to be allowed into the hospital, but with some very angry shouting from a very determined Magnus, and a lot of tears from a very distressed Alec, they'd finally been allowed to go past the desk. They were stood in the lift now. It had reached the floor of Izzy's room, and the doors were open, but Alec wasn't getting out. He was stood, his hands so tense that Magnus could almost see the red marks from his nails on his palms. Magnus's hand was on his back between his shoulder blades.<p>

"Alec, biscuit, we need to get out of the lift. Someone else is going to want to use it."

Alec gave Magnus a look. He shrugged.

"Ok, so maybe it's too late for that. But we've come so far. It would be silly not to go see Isabelle now, after all that fuss, wouldn't it?" He said it gently, encouragingly – not harsh at all.

"Alright." Alec stepped out of the lift, Magnus following quickly. The metal doors shut with a clang, but neither of them looked back. Instead, they walked along the corridor. There were no nurses or doctors in it, all in the individual rooms or performing late night emergency surgery. It was hauntingly quiet, and their footsteps echoes like muffled cannon fire.

Eventually, they came to Izzy's room. Alec didn't even to stop to look at Magnus as he opened the door. Magnus squeezed his shoulder, feeling awful for him. It was courageous for him to come back again to share the further exciting news, even if he'd already said his goodbyes. But Magnus understood it. And anyways, even if he didn't, it was something that Alec felt like he needed to do, and it was his privilege to support him in that.

Alec stepped into the room, and then after a second backed out, clinging onto the door frame with support. He looked back at Magnus over his shoulder, and fell onto him, burying his face in Magnus's chest. Magnus clutched back, holding him up.

"Sweetie, what is it?"

"Magnus… she's not in there anymore."

* * *

><p><strong><em>Please leave reviews, they make me smile! And don't worry, I will be updating soon, and it will explain all.<em>**

**_(By soon, I mean I won't leave it a year again!)_**

**_Anyway, thanks for reading, it means a lot. You are all magical._**

**_Lu xxx_**


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